Light Within the Darkness
by Icyfire-MikoDemon
Summary: After tragedy befalls Kagome's family, the mournful miko is forced to leave home. Now stuck in the last place she'd ever image herself, she must try to keep her duty to the jewel a secret from her new family. What will Kagome do when she finds out her new step brother and his friends are neck deep in the same life style as her? She'll do anything to keep them safe from the jewel.
1. Shroud of Darkness

Light within the Darkness

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho… though a girl can dream can't she?

A/N: This fic is dedicated to my close friend and neechan Jackie :) You're the reason I even think about Yusuke/Kagome Pairings and you were my inspiration through writing this entire story. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Hope you like it!

Chapter One: Shroud of Darkness

Kagome sighed in relief once her feet touched the ground. Glancing up, she smiled slightly at the roof of the small building before slowly climbing out of the well. It was good to be home… away from the stress of their search for the Shikon shards. She hadn't seen her family in quite some time, it would be a nice change to see them and attend school for a few weeks. Despite the fact that she thought the Feudal Era smelt a lot better than her time, she took a deep breath before sliding open the doors of the well house. The miko's eyes narrowed in confusion as she took in the scene before her.

Police officers swarmed the shrine grounds. Several were taking pictures and others merely observed from afar. Through the kitchen window, Kagome could see people shuffling through her home. Rushing toward the house, she barely reached the open doorway before someone firmly grabbed her forearm.

"I'm sorry ma'am but you cannot go in there." The officer informed her before slowly pulling her away from the house.

Kagome yanked her arm from his grasp angrily. "I live here!" she snapped as she quickly entered her home. She stopped dead in her tracks upon seeing the interior of the shrine. Blood painted the walls and coated the floor. Down the hall, an officer zipped closed a black bag. The miko's eyes widened when she caught a glimpse of the face of the person in the large body bag.

"Mama…" she murmured.

One of the officers taking pictures of the scene inside the house finally spotted her and panicked. "What's she doing in here?! Get her out!"

Another officer quickly grabbed the miko and dragged her from the house. Kagome didn't protest, her eyes glued to the body bag her mother was in. She briefly took note of the two other bags beside the door before she was outside once more. The man dragging her away ordered someone to close the door so no one else could see the massacre inside. The front door was slammed shut, blocking her view of the scene within her home. The miko's eyes widened when she spotted something carved into the wood of the door that she hadn't noticed before.

A spider.

"Miss, you're going to have to come with me to the station."

Kagome ripped her gaze from the front door to stare blankly at the first officer that tried stopping her from entering the house.

"But… I live here…" she murmured. Her mind was completely shrouded in fog. She couldn't think… couldn't feel… couldn't breathe.

"I know Miss Kagome…" he whispered softly before gently grabbing her arm and pulling her toward the shrine stairs. Kagome merely stared at the man as he helped her into the passenger seat of the squad car. Once he was in the driver's seat, he pulled the police car away from the curb and headed straight for the station. Kagome stared out the windshield emotionlessly. Her family was dead… killed by her worst enemy… but how? How did he possibly get to her family?

Souta… mama… grandpa… they were all gone. Her chest constricted as tears stung at her eyes but she held them back. She could mourn later… alone. Right now, she needed to find out why she was being brought to the police station and how this officer knew her name.

"Why are you taking me to the station?" she asked quietly, her gaze still focused ahead of her.

"Before we arrived at the scene, we were informed that a family of four resided at the shrine. We only located three bodies and after identifying them, realized you were missing. We called your school only to find you weren't there either. When you showed up and told me you lived there, I verified with a fellow officer that you were indeed the missing Higurashi." He explained.

"And?"

He sighed heavily as she felt grief fill his aura. "I'm sorry to be the one to inform you but since the owners of the shrine grounds are no longer… with us… the shrine is no longer your home. With no one to pay for the property, the government is putting it back on the market for sale once it's been cleaned." He stated.

Rage and fear filled Kagome as her gaze whipped to the officer. "You're taking my home from me and selling it?!"

"I'm sorry Miss Kagome but it is out of my control. Since you are only graduating high school this year and will not be able to pay for the shrine, the government has the right to take the property."

"And where will I live?!" she snapped. Her mind was reeling and despite the fact that she didn't want her home taken from her, she was far more worried about how she was going to get access to the well in order to get back to the feudal era. Naraku would pay for what he did to her family.

"That's why I'm taking you to the station… We located your father and contacted him, questioning if he knew of your whereabouts when we first realized you weren't home or at school. I called him just after you arrived and briefly explained the situation to him. He claims that he will take you into his home." The officer said.

If at all possible, Kagome's mood darkened further. Her father… she hated her father. She couldn't remember him but knew he left her mother shortly after Souta was born. He left them to fend for themselves. Luckily, her grandpa agreed to live with them and help care for the family. If it weren't for her grandfather, her mother would have been working extra hard just to support two children. As far as Kagome knew, her father never sent her mother any money to help with her or Souta. She wasn't surprised the police had no trouble finding him but the miko was slightly irritated that everything seemed to be worked out so quickly. Why, after all these years, was her father taking her into his home? Even though she had nowhere else to go, she couldn't help but feel a bit more angry at the man that abandoned her family. Did he feel pity for her because everyone she loved in this time had been taken from her?

"I must live with my father." She muttered darkly.

"Yes, from what we've gathered, he's remarried and has two other children. I'm sure you'll like to see your father again, our files report that your parents divorced when you were nearly five." The officer informed her.

She snorted. "Divorced? If you want to put it that way then sure."

He glanced at her curiously but remained silent. He hadn't caught her irritation before but now he could practically taste it. He shrugged as he averted his attention back to the road. The poor girl was probably experiencing major emotional turmoil after seeing her family dead. She just needed to be around more of her family in order to bring her back to her normal self. He had a daughter and knew how often she would get irritated at him. He knew this girl would forgive her father just as his daughter always did.

Kagome glared out the passenger window. This cop didn't understand a thing. He was probably brushing off her attitude as if it was something minor but in reality, it was out of this world. She hated her father for leaving them. Hated him for not being there for her… leaving her without a father. Kagome despised the old saying 'You can't miss what you never had.' because it never applied to her. When she was younger, she always wondered where her father was and if he was ever coming back. She watched her mother's heart break every night that he didn't return. When she was older, she understood why her mother seemed so saddened at times and it angered her.

Her thoughts were interrupted when the vehicle rolled to a stop. The officer exited the squad car and waited for her to join him on the sidewalk before leading her into the station. He told her to have a seat while he looked up her father's new address. She stiffly sat in one of the plastic chairs near the reception area as she awaited his return. Within minutes, he was leading her back toward the squad car and pulled away from the curb.

"I don't have any of my belongings." She muttered.

"I called one of our female deputies that's currently on the scene and requested that she pack up as much of your belongings as she could fit in her squad car and drop it off at your father's house." He explained with a smile.

Kagome restrained the urge to glare at the man. First he denies her access to her own home, then he proceeds to inform her that the shrine is no longer her home. Now he was taking her to the worst place in the world and had a stranger digging through her belongings. How she wished she'd let Inuyasha convince her to stay for an extra week before going back to her time again… she could have avoided all this trouble. But then again… she wouldn't have known what happened to her family… the house would just be empty and she wouldn't know why. Tears burned her eyes but she refused to let them fall. She blinked them back, chanting to herself that she just needed to wait until she was alone and she could mourn over her loss then.

"We're here." He announced with a smile as he stopped in front of a white two story home.

She scowled. This man was far too cheerful after witnessing the scene at the shrine. Her family was dead. Slaughtered by a demon whose desire was to corrupt the world. And this man somehow managed to smile despite the mornings events. Sure, he didn't know that her family's murderer was a demon but he had to know there was a psycho out there somewhere taking lives with no regret. Either he'd seen many similar cases in his life or he was faking his smiles in an attempt to comfort her. Sighing heavily, she forced herself to exit the car as the front door swung open.

"Officer, thank you for bringing my daughter."

Kagome glanced toward the deep voice and refused to allow herself to stare. He didn't look familiar but somehow she knew this man was her father. Tall with sun kissed skin. Messy dark hair and bright blue eyes that practically mirrored her own. He wore a pair of dark jean and a black tee shirt and no shoes as he exited the house. Her eyes narrowed as he approached her with his arms wide open. Sidestepping out of his reach, she crossed her arms over her chest and slowly made her way into the house.

"She saw the scene… so she may be a little emotional…" she heard the officer tell her father. Rolling her eyes at his ignorance, she closed the door behind her. Yes she'd seen her family's dead bodies wrapped up in plastic bags. Their blood still freshly spilled across the walls. Their fear and pain still lingering in the hallways. But after years of her travels in the feudal era, the miko learned how to conceal her emotions quite well. There was no doubt that she was sad over the loss of her loved ones but she knew there was nothing she could do except avenge their deaths. She needed to keep herself together so she could make Naraku pay for taking her family from her. Witnessing the scene had nothing to do with her reaction toward seeing her father for the first time in years. Turning back toward the interior of the house, she nearly jumped when she noticed a short boy standing just a few feet away from her.

"Are you Kagome?"

Staring down at him, still slightly surprised she hadn't felt his approach, she nodded.

"So you're my new half sister?" he asked.

He had short brown hair and dark eyes. He looked very similar to her father so she figured this boy must indeed be her half brother. "I suppose."

"Cool, I'm Kokoda." He grinned before taking her hand. "Wanna see your room?"

Not given much of a choice seeing as he was already dragging her deeper into the house, she shrugged. She allowed the boy to lead her down the hall, past the kitchen, up the stairs and into a room slightly larger than her one at the shrine. There was a queen sized bed, dresser, night stand and a walk in closet but despite the furnished state of the room, it looked bare. She would have to chance that once the stranger rummaging through her room brought her things.

"Father said an officer was going to bring your clothes later tonight but if you want something more comfortable I'm sure you could fit into Shuichi's clothes."

She glanced toward him briefly. "And Shuichi is?"

"My… our step brother. He's a bit taller than you but I'm sure they'd fit ok."

Kagome shook her head. "I'll wait for my clothes to get here."

The boy nodded before moving toward the door. "He's out with his friends right now but you'll meet him later tonight. And mother will be home from work shortly but I'll let you settle into your room. My room is at the end of the hall if you need anything." He grinned before disappearing around the door frame.

Kagome heard the front door open and close and she quickly shut her door in order to avoid confronting her father. Locking the door, she groaned as she collapsed down onto her bed. Now that she was alone, her tears resurfaced and this time she didn't bother holding them back. It wasn't long before she gradually fell asleep from exhaustion after releasing her pent up grief. When she finally woke, it was dark outside and the smell of ramen was drifting to her nose. The familiar scent caused her mind to return to the issue involving the well and she nearly shot out of her new bed.

What was she going to do about the well? She couldn't ditch her quest seeing as it was _her_ fault the jewel was in its current condition. That and she needed to avenge her family's deaths. Her thoughts drifted to Naraku and his defeat. She hoped that when the jewel was complete once more that it wouldn't seal the well. She prayed that she would still be allowed access to the past to spend time with her friends there... they were all she had left now. So how was she going to get through the well if she no longer lived on the shrine grounds?

"Kagome?"

Sighing softly when she heard Kokoda's voice from the other side of her door, she stood from her bed and made her way toward the door. Unlocking it and cracking the door open, she stared down at the boy. "Yes?"

He smiled sweetly and held up a bowl she hadn't noticed was in his hands. "Mother hasn't returned from work but I thought you might be hungry."

Kagome stared down at the bowl filled with ramen and couldn't help the small smile that tugged at her lips. "Thank you."

"You're welcome! I made a bowl for myself too… if you want to eat in the kitchen with me."

Kagome thought for a moment as she leaned out the doorway to glance down the hall. She _really_ didn't want to see her father…

"Father is at work, he does night shifts. Usually mother is home by now but father felt it was safe for him to go to work because you're here with me." Kokoda stated, resulting in the miko suspecting the boy could read her mind.

Shrugging her shoulders, she took the bowl from her new half-brother's grasp and stepped out of her room. Nodding toward the kitchen she remembered passing when he'd first dragged her to her new room, she followed him toward their destination quietly. Once in the kitchen, Kokoda poured himself a bowl of noodles before taking a seat at the dining table. Smiling toward her, he pointed to the open chair across from him. The miko slowly settled herself into the chair before starting to eat.

"Oh I forgot to tell you, father said that officer dropped your things off. The boxes are in the living room."

Kagome nodded slightly. "Thank you."

"I can help you move everything into your room after we're done if you want." He offered as he slurped up a rather large bite of his dinner.

Another small smile crept its way across her lips. Kagome didn't plan to befriend anyone in this house but this boy was hard not to like. "If you don't mind."

"Not at all!"

Kagome continued eating as the boy talked. He explained that she'd be attending the same school as her new step brother. He told her that Shuuichi wasn't around very often because he spent quite a bit of time with his friends. He told her that their father worked night shifts so since they attended school during the day, they usually only saw him for a bit after school but mostly on weekends. He also informed her that his mother wasn't the greatest cook but he was sure they'd like each other.

Deep down, Kagome knew the woman her father married after he left them was probably a wonderful woman but her bitterness she felt toward her father clouded her judgment. She couldn't help but dislike the woman that was her step mother because she technically stole her father from her. She tried to convince herself that all the pain and suffering her mother endured was solely her father's fault but she couldn't resist partially blaming Kokoda's mother. Although she felt angry toward her step mother, she still knew her rage rooted from her father's actions. That alone was enough for her to realize that despite her sweet half-brother, she was most likely going to hate living in her new home.

A/N:

You know, I really hate writing new fics, wanna know why? And most of you fellow authors can understand and relate to this. Whenever I start a new fic, I tend to get almost half way finished with it and suddenly hundreds of other ideas pop into my head. First, my brain tries to think of how I can add it to the current fic I'm working on. But once I realize that isn't possible, I mold it into a new fic and with those ideas fresh in my head, I have no choice but to ditch my current fic and begin a new one! But the cycle repeats itself once I get almost half way done with the new fic. And I can almost never get my muse to write for the previous fic. See how frustrating it is? My muse has a mind of its own. It chooses which fic it feels like writing for but sometimes, it just doesn't wanna write at all! Those are days that I feel like banging my head against a wall… but anywho! R&R!

~*Icyfire*~

Next Chapter – Chapter 2: Hit and Miss


	2. Hit and Miss

Light within the Darkness

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Yu YuHakusho… though a girl can dream can't she?

Chapter Two: Hit and Miss

Kagome groaned as the sun began to peek through her bedroom window. Glaring at the brightness, she forced herself out of bed and gathered a set of clothing before heading toward the bathroom. After eating dinner with Kokoda the previous night, he helped her move all her boxes into her room before disappearing into his to play video games. Kagome spent the last of the night unpacking her things and arranging her new closet. Halfway through her work, her step mother finally arrived home.

Thankfully though, she heard Kokoda tell his mother that she should wait until morning before meeting Kagome so she had time to settle in. If it weren't for that boy, the miko had no doubt that she'd already begin losing her mind in this hellish place she was forced to call home. Her step mother left her alone for the night and Kagome was able to unpack all her things before passing out. Despite her nap earlier that day, she still felt physically and emotionally exhausted.

Kagome listened to the sounds around the house as she allowed her muscles to relax under the warm water. Someone was shuffling around in the kitchen, most likely her step mother preparing breakfast, and there was someone in the living room watching television. Seeing as her father hadn't returned home from work yet and Shuichi didn't arrive yet, she figured Kokoda was the individual watching tv at such a loud volume. Taking her time in the bathroom, she slowly dried her hair with a blow dryer she found under the sink before getting dressed and exiting the steam filled bathroom. Making her way down the hall, the miko headed straight for the living room.

"You must be Kagome!"

Her breath caught in her throat as she froze where she stood. She'd been hoping to avoid meeting her step mother for at least a few more hours… Kagome turned around to face a woman slightly taller than herself with a large, warm smile plastered on her face. The miko nodded slightly to confirm the woman's curiosity and was surprised when she stepped toward her and pulled her into a tight hug.

"I'm so sorry for your loss… but I'd like to personally welcome you to the family."

Kagome held back the tears that threatened to fall at the reminder of her family. "Thank you…" she muttered quietly.

The woman pulled away and smiled down at her. "I'm sure you don't want to call me mom so if you like, you can call me Shiori."

Kagome nodded and the woman hugged her once more before pulling away completely and disappearing back into the kitchen. "Breakfast will be ready soon!" she called through the doorway as Kagome entered the living room.

Kokoda glanced toward her and smiled before turning his attention back to the television. Kagome silently sat down on the couch on the opposite end that her half-brother was seated on. They sat watching tv in silence for nearly half an hour before the front door creaked open.

"I'm home!"

A scowl immediately formed on Kagome's face at the sound of her father's voice.

"Perfect timing, breakfast is ready!" they heard Shiori announce from the kitchen.

Her eyes narrowing, Kagome stood from the couch and headed straight for her room.

"Hunny, aren't you hungry?" Shiori asked as the miko stormed right past her. Kagome ignored her and disappeared up the stairs and into her room before slamming the door shut. Kokoda entered the hall to see his father shaking his head and pulling his mother into a hug.

"She's still emotional from what happened… She'll come around, she just needs time to mourn." He reassured them.

Kokoda nodded but knew Kagome wasn't only upset about the recent deaths of her family. He'd seen the anger on her face once his father entered the house and knew she felt some form of hatred toward him. He wasn't sure how she could feel such negative feelings toward her own father but decided to keep his thoughts to himself for the time being. He liked his half-sister and hoped to get closer to her if he could. Then perhaps she would tell him why she despised their father on such a deep level.

Kagome glared out her window from where she sat on her bed. The mere sound of her father's voice irritated her but no matter where she was in the house, she could still hear him conversing with Shiori in the kitchen as they enjoyed breakfast. The miko briefly considered walking to the shrine, which was at least an hour walk, to return to the past and fill everyone in on the recent events but decided against it. If her family was only killed the previous day, police were most likely still swarming her old home.

Her line of thought was interrupted when she heard a knock at her door. Growling softly to herself, and quite impressively for a human, she stalked toward the door. If it was her father… her eyes narrowed further until she opened the door and saw Kokoda standing there with his usual smile plastered on his face.

"I know it's Saturday and you don't have school until Monday but since you don't know where your new school is I was wondering if you wanted to walk with me there? Get out of the house for a bit?"

Kagome held back the smile that threatened to overcome her. Nodding, she stepped out of her room and closed the door behind her. Maybe while they were out and about, he could show her around so she knew the area a bit more. Following Kokoda out of the house, she ignored her father when he asked where they were going. The boy turned to their father with a smile and explained he was going to show her around a bit. The man nodded and Kokoda continued leading her toward the street. She fell into step beside him as her thoughts wondered to her friends in the past. She hoped Inuyasha wouldn't pass through the well anytime soon… she told him she would be back in two weeks and he usually respected her request unless there was an emergency.

The carving of the spider she'd seen on her front door flashed across her mind and nearly caused her to lose her footing. She still couldn't figure out how Naraku possibly got to her family… did he somehow find out about the well? And even if he did, how did he get through to her time? She still hadn't figured out how the well worked exactly. It only allowed her through if she had shards of the jewel but Inuyasha could pass without them. And none of her friends were able to pass through with or without a shard so how did Naraku?

"Are you alright?"

Kagome pulled her mind back to the present and glanced down at Kokoda, who was staring up at her. She nodded, "Just thinking…"

"Ok… well this is the school you'll be going to with Shuichi." He announced, pointing toward a large brick building to their right. She briefly thought of the step brother she had yet to meet. The boy beside her smiled slightly. "I'm sure he'll be home tonight." Kagome nodded, yet again wondering if this boy could read minds, and followed him as he began walking toward town. "If you don't meet him tonight, you'll see him at school. He never misses classes. He sometimes isn't home for weeks at a time but somehow still manages to keep the highest grades in school."

The miko listened as her half-brother told her about their step brother's fan club and other small details. She groaned to herself when she realized that her step brother was probably one of those smart and cocky jerks that played with women's' feelings. Wonderful, another person she could hate that lived in the same house as her. Luckily though, he wasn't usually home… probably too busy breaking hearts.

Kagome snapped back to reality again when she heard a pained grunt and the sound of a body hitting the ground. Turning, she spotted Kokoda sitting on the ground wincing slightly from his fall. There was a boy a few inches taller than her towering over her half-brother with a scowl on his face.

"Watch where you're goin punk." He snapped.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention." Kokoda stuttered, averting his gaze.

"I should kick your ass for being so careless." He snarled, causing Kokoda to flinch back.

Kagome's eyes narrowed dangerously as she moved to stand in front of her half-brother. "Back off."

The boy leaned back on his heels slightly to get a good look at the girl he hadn't noticed until now. "What are you going to do if I don't, princess?" he spat with a slight smirk on his face.

Without another word, Kagome pulled her fist back and drilled it into the boy's face. He stumbled back, holding his nose that she might have broken, and stared at her in shock. She pinned him with a glare and he darted off in the opposite direction as quickly as his feet could carry him. Snorting, Kagome turned to Kokoda and offered him a hand up. He was staring up at her with wide, surprised eyes as he took her hand and allowed her to pull him to his feet. She rolled her eyes at his expression and began walking in the same direction they'd been heading before Kokoda accidently ran into that boy. Her half-brother shook himself from his stupor and ran to catch up to her before falling into step beside her once more.

"Thank you." He smiled.

Kagome shrugged her shoulders in reply. After traveling in the feudal era for over three years and receiving training from Sango and Miroku, Kagome found that she no longer feared humans. They were a minimal threat when compared to demons. The only humans she was cautious of were monks and taijiya but since there weren't any left in her time, she had nothing to worry about. After facing down a bear demon six times her size, that bully was nothing but an ant demon in her eyes. That and after finishing her taijiya training with Sango, she was very confident in her fighting abilities. She had no doubt she could've beaten that boy if he decided to fight back.

Training with Sango was difficult but working on her miko powers with Miroku was far more challenging. It took her a full year to master her powers but it was well worth it. With her powers under her control and her fighting skills she'd learned from the slayer, Kagome was able to fight alongside her friends and not merely shoot arrows from the sidelines. Also with finishing her training, she gained control of her healing powers she hadn't even been aware of.

"So where do you wanna go?"

Kagome was again pulled from her musing and glanced toward the boy. Allowing her eyes to scan across the surrounding area, she spotted an ice cream shop a few blocks away. "Do you want ice cream?" she asked quietly.

He grinned and nodded before following her to the building. After ordering for herself, she stepped aside to allow Kokoda to order but he shook his head. "I can pay for myself." He said. His response was a slight glare from the miko. Gulping, he turned back to the clerk and ordered a strawberry ice cream. Briefly noticing that the shop also sold coffees and cappuccinos, Kagome paid for their treats and took them from the woman behind the counter once they were made. Handing Kokoda his cone, he thanked her before following her back outside.

Despite the fact that her thoughts were scattered the entire morning, the miko had paid attention to everywhere Kokoda took her. Taking note of the location of the ice cream shop, she began leading the way back to her father's home. After traveling across feudal japan for years, Kagome gained the impressive skill of memorizing her surroundings. That way, if she ventured off too far from the group, she knew how to back track to the exact location she'd lost them. Even when she was kidnapped, she paid close attention to her surroundings so that once she found the chance to beat the life out of the individual that snatched her; she'd be able to make it back to her friends.

Her pace slowed when their house came into view and she felt her slightly brightened mood begin to darken once more. Glancing toward the sky to estimate the time, she guessed that she and Kokoda had been walking for nearly two and a half hours. She glanced toward the younger boy and figured he was probably tired of walking around town. Sighing quietly, she pushed open the front door and stepped inside. Hearing Kokoda close the door behind them, she made a quick escape straight to her bedroom, hoping she could lock herself away for the rest of the day and not have to deal with her father.

Reaching her room without interruption, she closed her door behind her and locked it. Collapsing on her bed, she groaned into her pillow in frustration. She didn't want to be there… she wanted to be in her bedroom at the shrine where she could see the Goshiboku from her window. She wanted to have access to the well without worries of being kicked off the property. She wanted her mother… and little brother. Her eyes narrowed as Naraku crossed her mind. That bastard was going to pay for what he'd done…

A/N:

ApolloAres13 - Thank you! Luckily so far I dont have any new ideas and I've been avoiding watching new animes so no other ideas pop up lol

Guest - I'm glad you enjoy my fics! I will be making sure to finish this one then I will be returning to my unfinished fics :) dont you worry I won't leave them incomplete

KEdakumi - It does seem that the whole situation was rushed but I've learned in real life that this kind of thing does happen and it's so very sad and unfortunate. And the government doesn't really care about one single persons tragic life. But don't worry, there will be people to help Kagome move past the pain of her loss

Akimi Youngblood - Glad your enjoying! I'm working hard not to side track lol

Stebba stud28 - Guess you'll have to stick around for a few chapters and see if it's up your alley :)

Full Moon Howl - Thank you! I plan to keep updates going regularly so there shouldn't be a long wait

Pumpkin Maximus - Dont worry this fic will not die halfway, I already have the entire story outlined so it will be finished! And yes this is a Yusuke Kagome pairing :) so I hope you enjoy! There aren't enough Yusuke Kagome pairing fics so I'm adding to the few there are!

I know that my fics are usually faster and action left and right but I kinda feel like dragging this one out as much as possible… now if you know me, this 'dragging out' desire of mine probably wont last very long but ehh maybe it'll give me a few more chapters. Well, R&R please! I live of your reviews :P

~*Icyfire*~

Next Chapter – Chapter 3: Suspicious Bloodlines


	3. Suspicious Bloodline

Light within the Darkness

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Yu YuHakusho… though a girl can dream can't she?

Chapter Three: Suspicious Bloodlines

"What did you find?" Koenma asked, pacing back and forth across his desk. He'd been informed several days ago that a demon attacked and killed a family at their home. The police were called in sooner than Reikai could arrive at the scene and clean it up before any other humans stumbled across the bloodshed and were now investigating the situation. Koenma needed to find out as much as he could about the happenings at the shrine so he could figure out how he was going to detour the humans' attention from the incident.

"Three humans were found dead. The fourth household member wasn't home during the slaughter and was sent to live with other family." Hiei reported in boredom.

"We couldn't get very close with all the cops around." Yusuke complained, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Whatever killed that family did not do so quickly. The scent of blood was nearly overwhelming." Kurama stated, wincing slightly. They'd kept their distance so as not to attract any attention but even from where they were monitoring the shrine, the strong smell of blood nauseated them.

Koenma groaned in frustration as he dropped his head into his hands. "I have to figure out how to get this problem under control… the humans can't find out that a demon was the cause of this!"

"Koenma sir, why not just erase their memories of the incident?" Botan questioned.

Koenma turned a glare toward the reaper. "Because even if I _do_ decide to go through with that, I still need to find the demon that did all this! What if he kills another human family!? Do you know the side effects of using the memory sweeper more than once on a human?!"

Botan shrank away from the demi god as she laughed sheepishly. "I'm sorry sir… I was just trying to help."

"Where did the demon disappear to after the attack?" Yusuke asked, growing extremely bored. He just wanted to go home and take a nap. He and the team had been watching that damn shrine for two days now and hadn't learned any useful information. It probably would have been more helpful if they'd arrived to the house the day _of_ the murder, not the following day when the police had already cleared out the bodies.

"That's the problem, I don't know. It just disappeared completely from the radars." Koenma explained with a sigh as he plopped down to sit on his desk with a pout.

Kurama sighed at their boss's antics. "Koenma, if there is nothing more you need from us would you mind us departing?"

"What's your rush fox boy?" Kuwabara asked curiously. Usually Yusuke was the one complaining to leave.

"My mother informed me that my step father's daughter would be moving in with us. If I remember correctly, she was supposed to arrive a few days ago and I have yet to meet her." He explained.

"Very well then, I'll contact you all once I've found out more information." Koenma stated before dismissing the detectives. Kurama politely requested Botan to make him a portal near his home before stepping through and starting toward home. Before long, he was entering through the front door and smiled warmly as his brother came speeding into the hall from his bedroom.

"You're finally home!" the boy grinned excitedly.

Kurama chuckled. "Yes, it's nice to see you as well Kokoda."

"Where have you been? Kagome's been here for two whole days now!" his brother explained as he grabbed his hand and began dragging him down the hall.

"We went camping for the weekend." Kurama murmured. He felt bad every time he lied to his family but he didn't have any other choice. He definitely couldn't tell them the truth… he doubted they'd even believe him.

"You have to meet Kagome! She's… a little distant but I'm sure you'll like her!" Kokoda told him as he stopped at the door of the room that used to be their spare. Taking a deep breath, the boy knocked lightly on the door.

No answer.

Kokoda stared at the door in confusion. "Hmm… she usually always answers the door unless she knows its father…"

Kurama glanced down at his brother in question at his statement.

"I haven't figured out why yet, but she doesn't like father." He whispered after knocking on the door once more.

"Isn't he her maternal father?" he whispered back. And if she didn't like her father then why had she moved here in the first place? His mother hadn't given him details, just that his step sister was moving into the spare room.

Kokoda nodded. "Yea but she doesn't like him… she seems angry with him." Kurama stared at the bedroom door curiously as his little brother sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe she fell asleep… guess you can meet her in the morning. You're going to walk with her to school right? I showed her where it is but I'm not sure if she'll remember."

Kurama rolled his eyes. "Of course I'll walk with her to school. I'll have to help her find her classes as well."

Kokoda grinned. "Cool, be nice to her ok? Seems like she could use some friends right now…" he murmured before scurrying off to his room and closing the door. What did Kokoda mean by that? Either his step brother new more about the situation than he did or he was saying that because she was in a new area and didn't know anyone yet. Glancing back at the door of his step sister's bedroom once more, he shrugged and made his way toward his room before also closing the door. From what he could hear, his mother and step father were sound asleep. Kokoda was probably awake playing video games before he arrived home but now the boy was getting ready for bed as well. They all had school tomorrow, so with that in mind, Kurama changed his clothes and crawled into bed. He hoped his step sister wasn't too much of a hand full… all he needed was one of the girls from his fan club to happen to be related to him by marriage.

Kagome woke up extra early the next morning for school. She wanted plenty of time to shower and get ready before leaving early enough to avoid a run in with either her father or step mother. She held no qualms toward her but she preferred to keep her distance from the woman that might have taken her father from her at such a young age. Dressing into the school uniform that she'd found laid out on her bed the previous night, Kagome quickly brushed her teeth and hair before leaving the house quietly. Taking a look around, she remembered where she and Kokoda came from when they left the ice cream shop and began making her way in that direction. Their ice cream was delicious, now she wanted to see if their coffees were just as refreshing.

Kurama woke to the sound of the front door closing silently. Forcing his tired body out of bed, he pushed back his shades to glance out the window and spotted a girl with long dark hair slowly making her way toward the direction his school was located. 'That must be Kagome.' He mused to himself as he glanced at the clock on his night stand. His eyes whipped back to the girl in confusion. It was an hour and a half before school even started, why was she leaving so early? Shrugging his shoulders, he took his time getting ready for school. After a shower and changing his clothes, he made himself some breakfast before heading toward the door.

"You're not taking Kagome with you?"

Turning, he saw his little brother yawning as he made his way toward the kitchen for breakfast. "She left without me." Kurama explained with a slight smile before waving goodbye and leaving the house. As he approached the school, Yusuke and Kuwabara appeared at his sides and walked with him toward the large brick building. Glancing around the courtyard, his gaze lingered on a girl slowly making her way toward the entrance doors of the school. He was slightly surprised when she suddenly turned sharply and stared at them. She was quite beautiful for a human with stunning blue eyes. What caught his attention most, though, were the emotions that flickered across those ocean blue eyes.

"Where you goin Kurama?" Yusuke asked once he noticed the avatar breaking away from them and making his way toward a girl that was staring at them. He didn't reply, only focused his attention on the girl before them. She finished off the last of her cup of coffee that he just realized she was holding and moved to drop it into a trash can several feet away from her.

Kagome watched the boy with bright red hair approach her curiously. She could sense his demonic ki and wondered what type of demon was idiotic enough to confront her in such a public place. Examining his aura further, she realized that he wasn't quite demon… but wasn't a hanyou. He felt both fully human and fully demon. Confused, the miko remained where she stood as the boy continued to make his way toward her. She briefly took note of his two friends he'd left behind. Although she didn't get a good look at them, she thoroughly examined their auras and found that both possessed quite a bit of spiritual energy. One of them had a touch of demonic blood flowing through his veins as well but she didn't dare take her gaze away from the demon that approached her.

Kurama smiled warmly as he neared the woman. She seemed cautious of him but remained where she was. From her reaction to his approach, he was thankful to realize she certainly wasn't a member of his fan club. She would have fainted by now if she were. "You must be Kagome, I'm Shuichi." He introduced himself. He'd recognized her scent and long dark hair and figured he may as well approach her. Now that he was at such close quarters with the girl, he nearly stumbled back in surprise when he felt her aura. She was suppressing it but there was no doubt that he could sense the slightest amount of miko ki surrounding her. Either she wasn't very skilled in concealing her power or there was so much of it that she struggled to keep all of it hidden. If her ki was so noticeable even when she was reeling it in, he feared just how powerful she might be.

Kagome stared at the boy with even more curiosity. This was her step brother? She could tell by the slight surprise in his forest green eyes that he'd sensed her powers and inwardly smirked. He was probably thinking along the same lines as she was. She was wondering how there was a demon in her time and the miko was positive that he was confused on how a miko possibly still lived in this time as well. She thought demons died out hundreds of years ago… and she would bet her life that he believed that mikos disappeared hundreds of years ago as well.

The first bell rang and Kagome pulled her gaze from his. Turning toward the school, she glanced over her shoulder. "Nice to meet you." She muttered before departing. She lived with him now, so she had plenty of time to interrogate him later. For now, she needed to get her class schedule.

"Damn, she was hot." Yusuke sighed as he stopped at Kurama's side. The avatar was staring off in the direction his step sister had disappeared into.

"Yea but she didn't seem very nice." Kuwabara said quietly.

"Did you try makin a move on her?" Yusuke asked, smirking toward the still silent Kurama.

The avatar finally shook his head. "No, that was my step sister."

Yusuke turned his shocked gaze to Kurama. "That's your step dad's daughter?!"

Kurama nodded. "Yes, I saw her leaving the house early this morning."

"When you said his daughter was movin in with your family I figured she was gunna be like Kokoda's age!"

Kurama shrugged. "Apparently not."

Kagome dragged herself into the house and shut the door behind her. Her first day of school had been long and tiring. She didn't have any classes with her step brother or his friends but she was able to sense them no matter where they were in the school. She wondered how she didn't sense Shuichi's demonic aura before she left the house early that morning but figured it was because she wasn't paying any attention. After school was over, she took the long way home, taking several detours in order to delay her arrival to the house she dreaded living in. She knew her step mother was at work but that meant her father was home.

Spreading her aura throughout the house, she sensed two people in the living room and her demonic step brother in his room down the hall from hers. Deciding there was no better time than the present; she quickly made her way toward Shuichi's room and entered without knocking. Closing the door behind her, she turned narrowed eyes to the boy that seemed to have just finished getting dressed after a shower. "Who are you." She questioned.

Kurama gazed back at her with an equal amount of intensity in his eyes. "I could ask you the same question."

Kagome crossed her arms over her chest as she leaned back against the door behind her. "So you _can_ sense my powers."

Kurama nodded slightly. "Without much effort."

"So explain to me how you feel both human but demon at the same time."

Since the cat was already out of the bag, Kurama figured what was the point of keeping any other secrets? "This body houses both the souls of a demon and a human. I am known as an avatar."

Kagome continued to stare at him curiously. "And what breed is the demon soul?"

"Kitsune."

Kagome nodded slightly as her posture relaxed. She felt no threat from her demonic step brother so decided she could allow her guard to drop slightly. If anything, he should fear her more than she should him.

"How is it that you possess miko powers?" he questioned, now crossing his arms over his chest.

Kagome debated whether she should share any information with him before focusing her gaze out his window. He willingly shared information with her, the least she could do was answer his questions as well. "I am a miko."

"But they died out hundreds of years ago." He argued.

"I thought the same thing about demons." Kagome retaliated, turning her gaze back to him. "I haven't sensed demons here until today."

Before Kurama could question her further, his communicator began vibrating. Pulling it from his pocket, he glanced toward Kagome before turning his back toward her and opening the compact. "Yes?" he murmured.

"Bring her here." Koenma demanded seriously.

Kurama stared at the child ruler through the screen in confusion. "Excuse me?"

"Bring that miko here now please. Botan is on her way." He stated before the line went dead. Confused beyond belief, Kurama turned back toward his step sister to see her staring at him curiously. Before he could answer her unasked question, Lady Death popped into the room with her usual grin in place.

"Hello there Kurama!"

"Kurama?" Kagome asked, staring at both the odd woman that appeared out of nowhere and her step brother.

Kurama sighed as he held a hand up to Botan. "Kagome, everything will be explained but would you do me the favor of following me?"

Kagome's eyes narrowed suspiciously when a black swirling void formed in the room beside the weird woman with blue hair. She grinned before disappearing through the black hole and Kagome stared at it wearily. Shuichi stepped through it next and the miko hesitated for a moment. Why was she following a demon, despite the fact that it was her step brother, into an odd black hole that appeared in his bedroom? She had the feeling that she was going to regret going through the vortex but stepped through it anyway. She felt her stomach flop into her throat before she suddenly found her feet touching the tile ground of a large office. Glancing around, she spotted the odd blue haired woman and her step brother standing just a few feet away. In front of her was a large desk and ridiculously high stacks of paper piled atop it.

"Ah Miss Kagome, it's a pleasure to finally meet you."

A/N:

I sometimes find it very hard to write a fic with both Kagome and Kurama but not pairing them. I just LOVE KURAMA SO MUCH! Who could resist such sexiness?! Hell who would want to? _Definitely not me_. Although Hiei is also drool worthy. And now thanks to me writing this fic, i'm starting to like Kagome and Yusuke pairings a lot. I enjoy writing Yusuke's personality almost as much as I like writing of Youko lol. Anyway, on to my special thank you notes:

pheonixsnape - Thank you! I try my best to be as awesome as possible lol I appreciate every review! And to keep up the awesomeness, I'll be posting chapter 4 on New Years as a gift to all your awesome readers.

CupcakeCannibal - This is my first Yusuke and Kagome pairing but so far, with all of my outlines done for the rest of the story, i'm loving it. I did a slight pairing of Kagome with Yusuke in my fic Dark Guardian but it was more threeway between Kagome Kurama and Yusuke. So this is the first straight up Yusuke and Kagome. Hope you'll enjoy it! As for Kurama and Kagome, you'll be finding out very soon how their relationship will turn out ;)

Tolazytologin (Guest) - Glad you're enjoying it so far! I'll be trying to keep the updates going as quick as possible :)

Pumpkin Maximus - Thank you for another update! I'm having some serious fun with this fic. Also, thank you for catching another Alexis mistake on Sweet Tempation! I made the correction immediately.

fierynightangel - You right, you right! I've always been under the impression that Kokoda and Kurama had the same mother; Shiori. But after looking it up on google, you're correct. Kokoda is Shiori's new husbands son. It's been quite some time since i've seen the anime too lol. Corrections have been made to the previous chapter and I now know better for future writings. So thank you for pointing that out!

ApolloAres13 - Thank you for another review! It sure is getting intense and there will definitely be conflict between her and her father. Hell i'd be pissed too if my dad left me when i was a child and then I was suddenly forced to live with him. As for Kagome and Kurama's meeting, hope you enjoyed. I had to make it a bit different to reflect Kagome's outlook on the situation.

himeko63 - I plan to continue keeping all of your awesome readers and reviewers happy! Updates should be happening quite frequently so there shouldn't be too much of a wait between chapters. I'm happy your enjoying so far and hope you continue to like the plot!

Kidnapped by a Demon - So happy to see people that have read my other fics are also reading this one! Good to see you again! I hope you continue enjoying this one and I look forward to seeing more feedback from you :)

Foxluna - We may never know the mysteries of the time traveling well... but I can promise that Kagome will avenge her family. And honestly, writing Kagome as Kurama's step sister is actually extremely fun!

Gooberdee (Guest) - You'll just have to stick with it a few chapters and see if you'll continue to like it, I sure hope you do!

Full Moon Howl - Kokoda is such a cute kid, Kagome can't be mean to him no matter how hard she tries. Plus, with how I'm portraying their relationship, Kokoda reminds Kagome of Souta so he gives her a sense of... familiarity and comfort. Glad you're enjoying so far.

HOPE EVERYONE HAD A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS! As I said to pheonixsnape, I will be posting the next chapter on New Years! Consider it my gift to all of you wonderful readers. Thank you all so much for your reads and reviews, they make me so happy! Until then, have a great week!

~*Icyfire*~

Next Chapter – Chapter 4: Higher Power


	4. Higher Power

Light within the Darkness

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Yu YuHakusho… though a girl can dream can't she?

Chapter Four: Higher Power

Kagome stared at the desk, where the voice had come from. There was a small baby standing on top of the desk staring down at her. Kagome groaned as her head fell into her hands. Yup, she definitely regretted passing through that vortex… it's messed with her head. She was seeing talking babies.

"Let me assure you that I'm not a talking baby. I am junior ruler of Reikai. My name is Koenma." The baby explained as he smiled down at her.

Was he psychic?

"He isn't psychic by the way; he just knows how everyone first reacts upon seeing him."

Kagome turned toward the blue haired woman as she spoke. Then was she psychic? What was she even doing here? Why had Shuuichi asked her to come with him here?

"If you're wondering why you are here, it's because I've been keeping an eye on your travels for the past few years. With the recent turn of events, it's come to my attention that I should speak with you seeing as you may know some answers to a few questions I have." Koenma announced.

Kagome stared up at him with narrowed eyes. "You've been watching me? Why." She demanded.

"Because Reikai is in charge of keeping order between Makai and the human realm. When our radars picked up on your spirit energy after you were taken to the past, I took it upon myself to keep an eye on you. The recent death of your family has brought to my attention the importance of your mission and that you are not as safe in this time as I originally assumed." Koenma explained.

"How did you know about my family? And what is Makai?" she asked, growing frustrated. She was confused and Kagome hated it when she didn't know what was going on.

"Several hundred years ago, the world was split into three, separating demons from humans in order to keep both safe. Reikai was formed to keep order between the two realms and my spirit detectives help keep demons in their own realm. You're step brother, that you know of as Shuichi, is one of my detectives. We call him Kurama because the demon soul that's housed in his body is the legendary bandit Youko Kurama."

Kagome glanced toward her step brother and he nodded slightly in confirmation. Turning her gaze back to the child feeding all this information to her, she glared at him slightly. "How does any of this have to do with me?"

Koenma pulled a large black book from under a pile of papers and tossed it toward her. She opened it and realized that half the book was filled with empty pages. Not bothering to read any of the pages at the beginning, she averted her gaze back to the demi god. "What's this?"

"That is the history book of the feudal era, the era that you are making history in. As you and your friends continue collecting shards, everything that happens appears in that book. History for that particular time period has not been completed yet. When you were pulled through the well and the jewel was shattered, the history was erased because with your appearance the timeline changed."

"If history for that era has been erased and I am rewriting it as we speak, why hasn't this time been altered by my travels?" She questioned.

"I believe that is because history hasn't quite been changed, just slightly altered. If you had not been dragged to that era and shattered the jewel, Naraku never would have risen to power. If I am correct, as long as you and your group defeat Naraku and claim the jewel this time will remain as it is. But if your defeated and he comes out the victor, nothing will be as it is now." Koenma explained

Kagome stared down at the book in her hands. "So you watch me while I'm here and keep an eye on what I'm doing by reading what happens?"

"Exactly. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find out that Naraku found a way through the well to this time until after it happened. I sent my detectives to investigate the scene because I thought it was just a demon that escaped Makai but after reading that your friends fought against Naraku the day following the murder of your family, I realized that the only way the demon could have completely disappeared without a trace is if he disappeared from this time period."

"Naraku will pay for what he did…" Kagome murmured, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"You already knew it was him?" Koenma asked, surprised by how well she was taking this news.

"Yes… there was a carving of a spider on the front door." She explained bitterly. "I planned to wait several more days for the police to leave the shrine before traveling back to the past."

Koenma nodded as his thoughts drifted for a moment. "That could cause problems… you will need access to the past at any given time but that isn't possible when you don't live on the shrine anymore."

Kagome nodded, wondering what he was getting at.

"There must be a way to make your time traveling easier… I'll see what I can do but for now, keep your distance from the shrine. I don't want those humans getting suspicious. They've learned far too much as it is… I just hope there won't be too much of a side effect when I wipe out their memories of this incident." Koenma muttered.

"The family that was killed was your family?" Kurama asked as he focused his gaze on Kagome. He hadn't known why his step sister was so suddenly moving in with them but now it made sense… and with the fact that she supposedly disliked her own father clued to him that she had no other choice but to live with them.

The miko nodded slightly, her jaw clenching. "If they hadn't been killed, I wouldn't be living in _that_ house." She said bitterly.

"I'm sorry for your loss…" Kurama said quietly. From the anger in her voice, he had no doubt that Kokoda was not incorrect in his assumption of her negative emotions toward her father.

She shrugged her shoulders. "Don't be, it's my fault for being naïve enough to actually think they would be safe without any protection."

"How could you have possibly suspected that Naraku would figure out how to get through the well? And with my detectives keeping the demons in Makai at bay, there weren't any threats you needed to worry about in this time." Koenma piped up.

Kagome averted her gaze to stare at the ground. "Disaster befalls all that come in contact with the jewel and anyone that is involved with it. Being its guardian, my life is eternally damned and those around me are destined to experience nothing but pain and suffering."

"Isn't that why you continue to travel to the feudal era while any other person would have left the situation in someone else's hands? Isn't that why you and your friends face death every day and still push forth to complete your mission?"Koenma questioned.

"Yes… we want to rid this world of the jewel so no one else will suffer…" she murmured.

"That is why you were chosen to be its guardian. You are powerful mentally and physically as well as strong willed. You are pure hearted enough to handle the jewel and I believe that in the end, your family's death will not be in vain."

Kagome shrugged her shoulders as her gaze landed on the black history book still in her hands. "So this book… does it tell you only about what happens to me or does it tell of Naraku's doings as well?"

"It was created to record the happenings of your group. I sent one of my ogres to take one of the group pictures of you and your friends when I first had the book made. The book is bonded to you and your friends." Koenma explained.

Kagome opened the first page of the book and stared down at the picture sewn into the page before glaring at him slightly. "I was wondering where that picture had disappeared to. So you never explained why you requested my presence in the first place." She muttered as she closed the book and placed it back on Koenma's desk.

"I did not expect you to be the step sister of one of my detectives. Now that you are living with Kurama, I thought you had the right to know of the true happenings in this era. We also needed to discuss the matter of your time travel so there was no better time than now to finally meet with you."

The conversation was interrupted when an annoying beeping sound blared through the office. Koenma quickly made his way over to a monitor set up on his desk and stared at it intently. Pointing at the screen, he glanced toward Kurama. "There is a small group of demons that broke through the barrier. I'll call the others but I need you to get there and make sure no other demons get through that rip."

Kurama nodded as he turned to Botan. The reaper hesitated as she stared at the demi god. "What about the escaped demons?"

"Do you have a weapon storage room here?" Kagome suddenly asked.

Koenma nodded slowly. "Yes… may I ask why?"

"If I can borrow a weapon, I can assist Shuichi until the rest of his team gets there." She stated.

Kurama shook his head. "I don't want you to get hurt."

Kagome snorted as she focused her gaze on Botan, demanding her to quickly show her to the weapons. "If I were you, I'd be more worried about that demon blood in your veins getting purified if you get in my way." She said before hurrying out the large doors of Koenma's office behind Botan. Kurama turned a worried look toward Koenma to see his boss roll his eyes.

"I don't think you have to worry about her. According to the history book, Sango and Miroku have been training her quite well."

"Who are Sango and Miroku?" He had no idea of what his step sister was involved in and the bits and pieces he heard weren't enough to explain everything. He was able to understand that she was the current guardian of the ancient Shikon Jewel and somehow traveled to the past for reasons unknown to him but that was all.

"A taijiya and a monk. The slayer's been teaching her to fight and the monk has been working with her on her miko powers." Koenma explained.

Kurama sighed as Kagome and Botan returned to the office. The reaper quickly formed a portal as Kurama stared at the weapons his step sister had chosen. She was holding a pair of _wakizashi and he wondered just how skilled she was with the pair of short blades. Usually one would prefer to use a katana seeing as it was longer and could reach further than a wakizashi but he hadn't seen her in action yet. Botan cleared her throat and both siblings turned toward the reaper before quickly making their way through the portal. Once they reached the other side, both miko and demon spread their auras across the surrounding area in search of their targets._

 _"You take the three to the left and I'll find the four ahead. Meet at the rip as soon as you can." Kagome instructed before darting off toward the demons she could sense just a few blocks away. The rip in the barrier was easy to detect seeing as she could feel an overwhelming amount of demonic ki flooding from it._

 _Kurama hesitated before hurrying off to find the three demons he was in charge of. He wasn't comfortable with allowing his step sister to fight without any assistance but she didn't give him much of a choice. He just hoped there wouldn't be too many demons that passed through the tear before they managed to close it._

 _Meanwhile, Koenma was impatiently waiting for Yusuke and Kuwabara to arrive to his office so he could send them off to help Kurama and Kagome. Once they finally made their appearance, he cut off the sharp tongued detective before he could make any smart ass remarks. "There is a tear in the barrier and several demons have already passed through. Kurama and Kagome are already there trying to keep the demons at bay but they may need your help."_

 _Yusuke stared at Koenma in confusion. "Wait, did you just say Kagome? As in Kurama's step sister?"_

 _Koenma nodded. "Yes, I'll explain later! Just get going!"_

 _Kagome just finished off the last of the demons she'd been trailing and was now hurrying toward the tear. She could sense Kurama making his way toward it as well and felt slight relief that he didn't seem injured once she spotted him in the distance. Averting her gaze, she focused on the large black hole that loomed before her. Thankfully, the rip was located in a secluded forest a few miles away from civilization so no one would see it. The miko glanced toward her step brother as he moved to stand beside her._

 _"So how do we close this thing?" she asked._

 _Kurama moved to stand beside the rip and gestured for her to stand on the opposite side. "An even amount of demonic and spiritual energy needs to be applied so the barrier can repair itself. Usually Yusuke or Kuwabara would assist me with this but since you have ki similar to theirs, I'm sure it will work."_

 _Shrugging her shoulders, Kagome watched Kurama as he placed the palm of his hand against the invisible barrier and began pushing his ki into it. Kagome followed suit and brought forth her powers as she secured one of her wakizashi in her free hand and dropped the second one on the ground but within her reach. They watched as the rip slowly began to shrink and Kurama began to think that maybe this would be quick and easy for once._

 _He apparently spoke too soon because once that thought crossed his mind, a horde of demons began pouring through the tear. Both Kagome and Kurama quickly dodged out of the way before engaging into battle. Kagome raced back to grab her other wakizashi before joining her step brother in the fight. She was slightly curious of his fighting abilities and found herself watching him from the corner of her eyes. She eventually realized that he was also keeping an eye on her. Her attention wavered when a demon landed a strike to her left shoulder. Her eyes narrowed as she whipped around and sliced her short blades through the demons midsection._

 _Deciding she could observe her step brother's fighting abilities at a later time, she focused completely on the large amount of demons that were still flooding through the barrier. Dodge, block, slice, block, stab, dodge, dismember. The miko never enjoyed watching blood coat her blade and soak the ground but when it was her or her friend's lives on the line, it didn't bother her one bit. In this case, every single demon that escaped Makai intended to wreak havoc on the humans in this realm and Kagome wouldn't have that. Reikai worked so hard to keep both realms at peace but these demons were attempting to ruin it. Just like the jewel ruined the lives of everyone it came in contact with in the feudal era… and apparently the present as well._

 _Yusuke and Kuwabara rushed to the sounds of battle once they exited Botan's portal. Upon reaching their destination, both were frozen in surprise at the scene before them. Kurama was fighting off several demons at once and seeming to fair quite well but the dark haired woman that was the avatar's step sister was hard not to watch. She was using two wakizashi swords quite skillfully but there was also an otherworldly pink hue surrounding her body. She moved smoothly but swiftly as she seemed to dance through the hordes of demons with her deadly blades. There weren't many more demons left so they settled for merely watching as Kagome cut through any demon that crossed her path._

 _"Dude I'm getting hard just watching…" Yusuke muttered under his breath as his eyes followed the miko in action. If he thought she was hot before… now there was no doubt in his mind that she was the sexiest woman he'd ever laid eyes on._

 _"She's Kurama's step sister Urameshi!"_

 _"You're point? All that means is that Kurama isn't competition."_

 _"You can't hit on his step sister!"_

 _"Why?" Yusuke argued, turning a glare toward his friend._

 _"Because I want her to be my girlfriend." Kuwabara murmured as he dreamily gazed at the woman._

 _Yusuke rolled his eyes. "Like she'll say yes to you." He snorted._

 _"What's that supposed to mean?!" he snapped, ripping his gaze from Kurama's step sister in order to glare at the boy beside him._

 _"Means you don't got a chance with her baka."_

 _Kuwabara crossed his arms over his chest as he averted his glare ahead of him. "You know, ever since Keiko broke up with you, you've been a real jerk."_

 _Yusuke rolled his eyes once more. "You gunna cry on me now?"_

 _"Will you two stop arguing and help us please?"_

 _Both boys turned their attention to Kurama, who was glaring at them in irritation. Quickly making their way over to the tear, they stood guard in front of the rip as Kagome and Kurama resumed repairing the barrier. Once it was fixed, Kagome sighed in relief as she began wiping the blood from her blades. She examined them carefully before turning to Kurama curiously. "You think Koenma will let me keep these?"_

 _The avatar shrugged. "Wouldn't hurt to ask."_

 _Kagome bent down to put the blade in their sheaths, where she'd attached them to her calves, and straightened only to take a step back. Kuwabara was standing a few feet away from her with a creepy smile on his not so appealing face. She raised an eyebrow up at him. "May I help you?"_

 _"Will you be my girlfriend?" he asked, staring down at her intensely._

 _Kagome stared up at him as if he'd lost his mind before glancing toward Kurama. "Is he serious?"_

 _Kurama sighed and nodded his head. "Unfortunately."_

 _Kagome focused her attention back on the tall man and smiled sweetly. "I don't want to dirty my blades again but I will if I have to." She threatened, that sweet smile still in place._

 _Yusuke chuckled softly at her comment and Kagome turned a glare toward him. "What do you find so funny?"_

 _"You act so tough." He laughed._

 _"Act? I could knock you on your ass without breaking a sweat." She snapped._

 _Kurama sighed as he opened his communicator to contact Botan. Clearly his step sister had quite an attitude._

 _"Oh you think so?" he smirked._

 _Her glare intensified. "Who the hell are you anyway."_

 _"Just informing you that the tear has been sealed and we are heading home. Have Koenma contact me when he finds more information." Kurama said to the reaper before closing the compact. He wasn't sure exactly what Koenma was researching but he knew the demigod was trying to figure something out about Kagome's means of travel to the past._

 _"Yusuke Urameshi. And I'd love to see you back up that big talk." Yusuke snorted._

 _Before any fights could break out, Kurama quickly grabbed his step sister's wrist and began dragging her toward home. "We'll be heading home now. See you tomorrow at school." Kurama called over his shoulder._

 _Yusuke glared after the avatar that was still dragging his hot sister away from them. Did he have to ruin all his fun? He had no doubt that he could overpower the miko but he wanted to see her try anyway. He wouldn't mind pinning that sexy body to the ground… The detective shrugged. All well, there was always tomorrow and seeing as they would see each other at school, he definitely intended to rile her up again. She was pretty sexy when she was angry and wielding weapons…_

 _A/N:_

 _And let the sparks begin to fly! Pretty fired up first meeting but don't worry, it can only get better from here lol. With our hot headed miko and a determined Yusuke, things are bound to get entertaining. Hope everyone enjoyed! HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! Hope everyone had a safe and wonderful night! And now onto my special thanks and shoutouts:_

 _Pumpkin Maximus - I'm glad you like it so much lol I'm going through chapters pretty fast so there shouldn't be much of a wait between updates :)_

 _Gooberdee - Sorry, I love cliffys haha. Even though when I read one I rage too, it still leaves me with a sense of excitement of whats going to happen._

 _HlfDemonLvr7703 - I was wondering when I'd have the honors of your presence! lol figured a new story would catch your eye, I hope you enjoy this one just as much as you have my others! Happy reading!_

 _~*Icyfire*~_

 _Next Chapter – Chapter 5: Play with Fire_


	5. Play with Fire

Light within the Darkness

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Yu YuHakusho… though a girl can dream can't she?

Chapter Five: Play with Fire

Kagome yawned as the sun peeked through her window. Stretching her legs, she forced herself out of bed and into her closet. She gathered her school uniform and a clean towel and quietly made her way to the bathroom for a shower. Tuning into her surroundings, the miko found she was the only one awake. She debated whether she should wait for her new step brother before leaving for school but her desire to avoid her father quickly made the idea of a long walk before classes all the more appealing. Her mind wandered to the events of the previous day. Her step brother and his friends worked for Reikai and helped keep humans safe. Never would've seen that coming. Kurama seemed sweet and caring, someone she could easily see herself growing close to quickly. Yusuke reminded her a lot of Inuyasha but more... open minded. She would definitely have to keep her distance from him. His personality was just what she seemed to fancy and if she wasn't careful, she knew he'd pull her right into his trap. Her thoughts shifted to the tall boy Kuwabara. She felt guilty for how she had treated the boy but she didn't have much of a choice. She couldn't allow herself to get close to anyone else in this time. For their own safety, she needed to push them as far away from her as possible... even if that meant she needed to make them hate her. Finishing her shower and dressing for school, she snatched her book bag from her bedroom before silently leaving the house. Once outside, she released a heavy sigh of relief. She'd hoped to mimic what she'd done the previous morning in order to avoid seeing her father and step mother. It'd been nearly four days since she moved into the house and she hadn't really spoken to her father. If she could, she preferred to keep it that way for as long as possible.

Kurama woke to the sound of his alarm blaring at his bedside. Turning it off, he crawled out of bed and ventured toward the bathroom. Splashing water across his face in order to wake himself up, he noticed the mirror was slightly fogged. Glancing toward the shower, he noticed it'd been used recently. Spreading his aura through the house as he made his way back to his room, he discovered Kagome was no longer home. Looking at the clock, he shook his head. Why was she leaving for school so early again?

"Where's Kagome?"

The avatar looked toward his door to see Kokoda standing there rubbing sleep from his eyes. "She left without me again."

His younger brother sighed. "Maybe you should ask her to wait for you? She probably doesn't know you'll walk with her. Have you even met her yet?"

Kurama nodded. "I met her at school yesterday and we walked around the city after classes." At least that'd been the excuse he told his step father when he asked where they'd been all afternoon.

Kokoda smiled. "That's good. What do you think of her?"

"She's… different. Not what I expected, that's for sure." He definitely didn't expect his step sister to be a skilled fighter, know about the existence of demons, and travel back in time 500 years to keep the future intact.

"Yea, I think she just needs to get used to being here. That and finish grieving over her family… I could hear her crying in her room last night." Kokoda murmured, his gaze falling to the ground sadly.

Kurama nodded. He could hear her quiet sobs too. After they finished taking care of the rip in the barrier and he'd taken her home, she made a beeline straight to her room for the rest of the night. Didn't even come out to eat dinner. "I'm sure she'll warm up to us soon, she just needs time."

Kagome sipped her coffee as she approached school. She discovered the previous day that the ice cream shop Kokoda took her to when they toured the city served wonderful coffees. Since she left early in order to avoid her father, she decided to stop for another coffee, perhaps even make it a daily routine before school.

"Where's Kurama?"

Kagome turned to the sound of a voice only to roll her eyes. Yusuke, the friend of her step brother's that was at the top of her 'Stay the hell away from' list, was quickly catching up to her. "On his way here I'm sure."

"You didn't walk with him?"

"Nope."

"Well aren't you feisty in the morning." Yusuke smirked.

Kagome snorted. "Only when I'm bothered by annoying stalkers."

"I'm no stalker but I'm not gunna lie, you definitely caught my eye. Even before I saw how sexy you can be with weapons."

"Stalker." Kagome muttered as she quickened her pace.

Yusuke rolled his eyes as he tried to keep up with her. "You're avoiding me because you know you're attracted to me too. You haven't even _really_ looked at me yet. Afraid you don't have enough self control?" he teased.

Kagome stopped and turned sharply, causing Yusuke to halt in his tracks as well to keep from bumping into her. She stared straight into his brown eyes for what felt like hours to the detective but in reality were only mere seconds before she snorted once more and disappeared into the crowd of students making their way into the building. Frozen where he stood for the moment, he let his mind wander to her unique blue eyes and how unfazed and guarded they seemed. She was either very talented at concealing her emotions or she honestly didn't find him attractive. Shrugging his shoulders, Yusuke turned to glance behind him when he heard someone call his name.

"Was that Kagome you were with?" Kurama questioned as he fell into step beside the detective.

"Yup, seems she isn't much of a morning person."

"She keeps leaving the house early… I wonder what she does before coming to school." Kurama murmured as he scanned the crowd of students to see if he could spot his step sister.

Yusuke shrugged. "Who knows. I'll see you in class."

The school day was finally over and Kagome was just exiting the building when Kurama and Yusuke appeared at her sides. Remaining silent, she continued walking. Why was it always the people she tried to stay away from that somehow always found her. Maybe Inuyasha was right... she was a magnet for trouble.

"Looks like shes not only grumpy in the morning but after school too." Yusuke joked as he shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Don't you have something better to do then pester me?" the miko hissed, her eyes narrowing slightly though she kept her gaze forward.

"Well seeing as the toddler asked me to keep an eye on you, not really."

Both Kurama and Kagome turned to stare at the detective in question.

"He said that you need to finish some mission that you're in the middle of and that nothing can keep you from it. That the world depends on your success. So he told me to make sure you stay out of trouble." He explained.

"Why do you need to watch over me when Kurama lives in the same house as I do?" she muttered in irriation.

"Well he actually assigned all of us to watch over you. He didn't see the need in telling Kurama about our orders because baby breath knew he'd already keep an eye on you."

"I'm on twenty four hour surveillance? You've got to be kidding me." Kagome laughed humorlessly. "I can take care of myself perfectly fine."

"Koenma is just looking out for your safety. What if Naraku finds a way through the well again and comes after you? You can't defeat him on your own." Kurama tried reasoning with her. After having a long talk with Koenma the previous night about Kagome, he was updated on the miko's situation. He knew everything Koenma did from reading the history book in his possession.

Kagome scowled. She wasn't sure how Kurama seemed to know about Naraku but she figured Koenma had a big mouth and told him. She knew he was right. No matter how much training she'd gone through, it wasn't enough to take down Naraku on her own. But that was the reason she needed to keep her distance from Kurama and his friends. If Naraku did come back through the well, she didn't want their blood on her hands... the death of her family already haunted her ever thought. "Whatever." She muttered. "Stop stalking me Yusuke."

"Kinda hard not to babe." He winked when she turned to glare at him.

"Do _not_ call me babe."

"Whatever you say Gome. I'll see you tomorrow." He smirked before heading toward his house.

"Don't mind him, he's been a little weird ever since his girlfriend broke up with him." Kurama stated as they continued toward their home.

Kagome shrugged. "It doesn't matter."

The avatar glanced toward her curiously. She made it seem like she didn't like them but he could tell she didn't mean it. Thinking it was probably her way of mourning over her lost family, she brushed it off. He didn't know his step sister very well yet but she was throwing him bits and pieces of herself each day he spent time with her. He had a feeling it wouldn't take long for him to know her quite well. The confusion over Kagome and her father's relationship was still a mystery to him. He wondered when that puzzle piece would fall into place. "So why do you leave for school so early?"

"Kokoda took me to this ice cream shop that serves great coffee." She explained.

"You could wait for me next time and I'll go with you." Kurama suggested quietly as they approached their home.

"You wake up too late." She murmured before entering the house. Just as she'd done the previous day, Kurama watched her dart straight for her room. Before she could reach her door, their father stepped into the hallway from his bedroom and smiled toward them.

"How was school?" He asked.

Kagome ignored his question and continued toward her room but was stopped before she could open the door.

"Kagome, I asked you a question."

Kurama remained quiet as he watched his step sister stop in her tracks and glare daggers into her bedroom door.

"I heard you." She ground out.

"Then I expect you to answer me." Her father said sternly, his smile now gone.

The miko turned her glare to her father. "Now you want to act like a parent? _Now_ you want to be my father? You lost the right to order me around when you walked out of our lives without so much as a goodbye." She snapped angrily.

"That's enough Kagome, you know I would change the past if I could." He said in defense.

She laughed humorlessly. "Oh do I? Because you definitely kept in touch with your children after you left. You didn't fall off the face of the earth and not give a damn about our mother as she struggled to support two children."

"You don't understa-"

She cut him off before he could even finish. "No I don't! I will never understand why you left your family! Left mother crying every night hoping you'd come back! Left your children wondering what happened to their father! I didn't understand why mother would cry until I was older and now she'd dead and I'm forced to live with _you!_ If it had been my choice, I would have never come here. I would have lived on fine thinking that you were dead and not happy with another family. If you cared, you would have kept in touch. Wouldn't have missed all those birthdays and left us without a father! So don't you _dare_ try ordering me around like you're my father!"

He was at a loss of words but somehow managed to mumble through his shock. "But I am your father…"

Kagome scoffed, her glare still in place. "No, my father died the day he walked out the front door. You are nothing to me, not after what you put my family through." She said before pushing her door open and slamming it shut behind her.

Kurama remained frozen where he stood, staring at his step father who also didn't move. So he'd left Kagome's mother… and from how angry the miko was he wouldn't doubt he hadn't even sent child support. He understood now why she seemed to hate her father so much and he didn't blame her. His step father's gaze met his and he could see the regret in his eyes. He truly wished he could go back and change what he'd done. He was different now than he was before and because of that, Kurama plastered an apologetic smile on his face before venturing toward his room.

As he passed Kokoda's room, he noticed his brother was indeed in his room and had most likely heard everything between Kagome and her father. Entering his room and closing the door, he collapsed down on his bed with a sigh. Kagome held a large amount of bottled up anger and with her family murdered recently, he was surprised she hadn't gone over the edge. He could hear her crying softly in her room and wished he was closer to his step sister so he could comfort her. But he wasn't and he was sure that if he, or anyone in the house for that matter, were to knock on her door that blood would be spilt.

Kagome wiped away her tears angrily as she glared at the ceiling. She hated him. How dare he speak to her like that after what he'd done to her… to her mother… to her family. Squeezing her hands into tight fists, the miko pushed herself off her mattress. She was so angry she didn't want to be in the same house as her father at the moment. Glancing toward her window, she pulled on a pair of boots, crammed her new weapons from Koenma's weapon vault into them, and snatched a hoodie from her closet before opening her window. Dropping to the ground gracefully, she began making her way down the street of her new neighborhood. It was dark out now and the city was somewhat quiet.

After aimlessly walking for nearly twenty minutes, the miko could see a park with a forest beyond it in the distance. Sighing heavily, she decided it would be nice to find comfort within the dense forest. She couldn't wait to go back to the feudal era and breathe in the fresh air. She hadn't told her friends of what happened yet and to be honest, she was a little surprised Inuyasha hadn't come searching for her yet. According to Koenma and his history book, her friends fought Naraku near the village the same day her family was killed. The miko wouldn't be surprised to find that Inuyasha hadn't come looking for her yet because he was chasing after Naraku's trail.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she suddenly felt a spike of demonic energy seeping from the forest she was heading toward. Curious, she followed the aura. It wasn't long before she came across two demons duking it out deep in the dense forest. If it hadn't been for the intense training Sango drilled her though, she was certain she wouldn't be able to see the demons' movements. One demon, dressed in darker clothing, was moving far quicker than the other. Looking closer, Kagome snorted when she realized just who the other demon was. Deciding to watch for a bit, she leaned against the nearest tree.

Yusuke was mostly on the defensive, blocking and dodging the quick demon's attacks. From what she could see, the darkly dressed demon was using a katana but Yusuke was unarmed. She hadn't seen the detective in action before so was slightly intrigued to see how he would fair. Several seconds into watching them spar, Kagome leapt away from the tree she was leaning against and pulled her wakizashi from her boots. Using them to block the blade aimed to strike her; she pushed her attacker away before jumping to her feet.

"What are you doing out here Kagome?"

Only turning to Yusuke when she spotted her opponent land on his feet several feet away, she shrugged. "Felt like going for a walk."

"This onna is our mission?"

The miko glanced toward the demon that attacked her. "You must be Hiei then. You're pretty quick."

"I'm a little surprised you could keep up with his movements." Yusuke piped up as he approached them.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "He's not _that_ quick."

"No human should be able to see my movements." Hiei stated, glaring at her suspiciously.

"With the right training, a human can learn to do many things."

"You may have blocked my attack, onna, but that does not mean you could defeat me in a fight."

"Should we put that theory to the test?" Kagome smirked, twirling her blades between her fingers.

Yusuke shook his head quickly and moved to stand between the two. "No way are you two going at it. Hiei's a tough opponent Gome, I don't want to have to explain to Kurama why I had to carry you home beaten and bloody."

Kagome rolled her eyes and snorted. Putting her wakizashi back into her boots, she crossed her arms over her chest. "We'll continue this another time, when the stalker isn't standing in our way."

"If I remember correctly, _you_ found us here. So technically you're the stalker. Though I wouldn't mind you followin me home." He winked toward her.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "No wonder you're single, you're creepy." She stated before turning back toward the park. She didn't want anyone to know she was gone so figured it would be a good idea to return home. Yusuke gaped at her comment as he watched her disappear through the trees. Maybe she really did find him annoying… he just couldn't tell with her! She seemed playful one moment then serious the next. She kept him guessing and the detective liked it.

"Should we follow her to make sure she gets home safe?"

Hiei snorted. "If she can counter my attack with ease, she is fine to make it home on her own."

Yusuke shrugged. "Just sayin… it _is_ our mission to make sure she stays out of trouble you know."

"Kind of hard to do if she's sneaking out of the house without anyone knowing." Hiei muttered.

"How'd you know she snuck out?"

"Isn't it obvious? Kurama would have been with her if she hadn't."

Yusuke nodded slowly. "Good point… looks like babysittin her is gunna be a little harder than I thought."

A/N:

That wraps up this chapter. I'm so tired… ugh and recently I've had the WORST experience with roommates. I need to move back with my parents! At least they pay bills on time, clean up after themselves, don't smoke pot in their bedrooms and eat all the food in the kitchen!

Special shout outs to everyone that left reviews! Thank you so much: Pumpkin Maximus, g2fan, Infinities Lover, Lunascorpio20, hlfDemonLvr7703, Tolazytologin, fallingyuki, Gooberdee, leslie2132, duo s luvergurl, and several guests!

Also as a side note: The pairing is Yusuke/Kagome and will be staying that way. It will not be changed. Dont like it? Go read something else. Also, for those of you who think I made Kagome a little too mean to Kuwabara or other charaters: the girl just lost her family. She's learning to fight and avenger her family that Naraku killed. Yes I know Kagome is always the happy go lucky girl blah blah blah but lets be real. ANYONE will be changed by such serious events. You could be the happiest person in the world. Lose your family and tell me you'll still be that happy person. I know i wouldn't. My family is the world to me. Anyway! Thats the end of my little rant :) Didn't mean to offend anyone if I did but if you don't like my story then don't read it. Simple as that.

~*Icyfire*~


	6. Present Bound

Light within the Darkness

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Yu YuHakusho… though a girl can dream can't she?

Chapter Six: Present Bound

"What do you mean I can't go back yet?!"

"The police are still snooping around the shrine grounds and have restricted it from public access until it's been cleaned and stripped of evidence. Botan has placed a seal on the well to keep anyone from passing through so we don't have to worry about Inuyasha making an appearance." Koenma explained.

"He's going to be pissed when he finds out…" Kagome groaned in irritation. After everything that's been happening, Inuyasha's attitude was the _last_ thing she wanted to deal with.

"I'm sure he'll go easy on you once he finds out about your family…" Kurama murmured.

Kagome shook her head. "He'll be even more angry. He'll push us harder to find Naraku. Inuyasha liked my family because they accepted him for who he was and not by his bloodlines…"

After a moment of silence, Koenma cleared his throat. "Well as I was saying, you'll have to wait to return to the past for a bit longer. I'm working on a way to bring the power of the well to you."

Kagome turned a confused stare up to the demi god. "What do you mean?"

"I have George doing research on copying or relocating a power from one object to another. This way you'll be able to travel to the past whenever you please and your new family won't wonder why you're gone for such long periods of time."

Kagome held back her snort at the thought of her 'new family' only because her father was the one she didn't like. Kurama and Kokoda were likeable, perhaps even her step mother but her father was nothing to her. "That would be convenient."

"Indeed. I will inform you and Kurama once the process is complete. I want to get you back to your mission as soon as possible."

Kagome nodded. "Thank you Koenma."

"Of course, you're both dismissed."

"So is she a detective for the brat?"

"No."

"Then what's this mission she has to complete that's so important?"

Kurama sighed. "This isn't my question to answer."

"But you know the answer."

"Even if I do, I'm not sharing it with you. You need to ask Kagome."

Yusuke groaned in frustration. "Dude why can't you just tell me? Is there some crazy prophesy that revolves around her? Is she a demon? Is she a god? What's so important about her 'mission' that you can't tell me?!"

"It's just not my story to tell Yusuke. Have you even bothered _trying_ to ask her yourself instead of pestering me?"

The detective rolled his eyes. "Hell no, she already thinks I'm a stalker."

"And you trying to get information about her behind her back isn't more stalker material than personally asking her about herself?"

"You know I hate it when you get all logical on me right?"

Kurama rolled his eyes. "Try talking to her. She closes herself off to you because she doesn't trust you yet."

"How the hell did you get her to trust you in less than a day?"

He shrugged. "I'm not quite sure but I can guarantee you that she doesn't trust me completely yet. Kokoda was able to open her heart to us but I have a feeling it's only because she needed someone to talk to… someone that would understand. She is more similar to us than you could ever imagine."

The detective snorted. "I wouldn't be surprised, she knows about demons and has pretty quick reflexes for being completely human. She easily followed Hiei's movements."

"When did she meet Hiei?" the avatar asked, turning curiously to Yusuke.

"She snuck out a few nights ago and happened to come across the forest we always spar in. Hiei was just testing her but she blocked his attack easily."

Kurama focused his gaze ahead to their school that was appearing in the distance. "She seems to surprise me with something new every day. I saw her sneak out through her bedroom window last night."

"Aren't your rooms on the second floor?"

"Exactly my point. She landed so gracefully…" Kurama murmured.

Yusuke shook his head. "Are you _sure_ she doesn't have any demon blood?"

"Positive. Her miko blood wouldn't allow even an ounce of demonic blood to thrive."

"Speaking of her miko blood… I thought mikos died hundreds of years ago, when the barrier was created."

"Somewhat. There are still families that possess a small amount of those spiritual bloodlines but it's weakened over the years."

"Then how does she have such strong bloodlines?"

Kurama shook his head. "That is also a question you have to ask her yourself."

Yusuke sighed heavily, his gaze focused on the school building they were approaching. "You're a pain in my damn ass." He muttered before heading off to his first class of the day.

Kagome yawned as she exited the school building. The day was finally over and she was more than ready to start her weekend. Even though Koenma didn't want her near the shrine, she planned to make a quick visit. If the police were no longer storming the property, she wanted to go to the past to tell her friends everything that happened. Her main goal was to avoid an anger Inuyasha if he found out the well was sealed. She hoped he didn't already know. After updating her family in the past of the recent events, she'd return until Koenma figured out how to do whatever he planned with the well's power. She honestly didn't think he'd succeed.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she caught sight of someone falling into step beside her. Glancing to her left, she rolled her eyes at the goofy grin on Yusuke's face.

"Heading home without waiting for Kurama?"

"He's a big boy, he can make it home on his own."

Yusuke shrugged. "True but Koenma made you our new mission remember? One of us needs to be with you at all times."

Kagome snorted. "I don't need to be babysat, I can take care of myself."

"I'm not sayin you can't, I'm just following orders."

"And stalking me."

"Can't help it, you've got me hooked." He smirked down at her.

She rolled her eyes once more. "Why again does Koenma have you shadowing me everywhere?"

"He says you have some important mission to complete so you need to be kept safe just in case the demon that attacked your family comes back for you." He murmured, hoping she wouldn't get mad at him for bringing up her deceased family.

"Whatever." She huffed.

They walked in silence for quite some time until the detective couldn't hold back his curiosity any longer. "So what's this big mission you have anyway? Do you work for the toddler?"

The miko shrugged. "It's nothing really. There's this ancient jewel that was shattered that I have to collect the pieces of and restore to its original form. I'm sure Koenma wants to stash it into the vaults of Reikai for safe keeping or something."

"So you do work for him?"

"In a way, sure. He's calling the shots for now."

Yusuke nodded. "And where'd you learn to fight?"

"A few friends of mine taught me everything they know." She answered.

"That's cool of them. So how are your powers so strong? I thought mikos died out hundreds of years ago, when the barrier was formed."

"What's with the interrogation? You're not putting me under arrest are you detective?" she asked sarcastically.

Another smirk formed on Yusuke's face. "Don't tempt me; I've always wanted to cuff a sexy woman."

The miko held back her blush and rolled her eyes. "Pervert." Glancing ahead, she spotted her house a few blocks away. "I can make it home from here; you don't need to go out of your way to take me all the way to my door."

"If you say so, I'm just makin sure your safe." He winked as he broke away from her and headed in the direction of his home. "I'll see you later. And no more sneakin out of the house!"

She snorted softly and waved him off. Continuing toward her house, she jumped slightly when Botan appeared out of thin air. Placing her hand over her racing heart, she glared up at the reaper. "Can I help you?"

"Sorry for the scare Kagome! I'm actually looking for Kurama…" she smiled brightly.

"He's most likely on his way here; I didn't feel like waiting for him today."

Botan nodded. "Alright well can you tell him to call Koenma once he gets home?"

The miko nodded. "Sure."

"Thank you!" She grinned before disappearing with a 'pop'.

Sighing, she made her way toward her home and pushed the door open. Relieved that her father was nowhere in sight, she scurried off to her room and locked the door. When she sensed Kurama arrive home, she would relay Botan's message to him but for now, she planned to take a nap. Early in the morning, while everyone in the house was still asleep, she would return to the shrine and attempt to pass through the well. She just hoped there weren't any police left lurking around her old home.

Kurama pushed the front door open and stepped into the house. He could sense Kagome was in her room and sighed in relief. He'd been worried when he finished class and couldn't find her until he picked up on Yusuke and his step sister's scents trailing toward his home. Making his way up the stairs, he wasn't surprised to see her bedroom door closed. Shrugging his shoulders, he entered his room and jumped slightly when he noticed Botan lounging on his bed.

"Is there something I can help you with Botan?"

"There you are! I've been waiting for you. Koenma needs to see you." She grinned. "I asked Kagome earlier if she would have you call once you got home but when I checked back on her, she was sleeping so I decided to wait for you."

"She's sleeping this early? Is she alright?" he asked.

"I think so… I've been keeping an eye on the house while you were gone, nothing out of the ordinary occurred."

Kurama shrugged. "Maybe she's tired. She wakes up earlier than I do. So what does Koenma need?"

"He'll explain everything, let's go." She smiled as a portal formed beside him. Sighing, he followed the reaper through only to see Koenma pacing back and forth across his desk.

"We're here Koenma sir!"

The demi god's attention snapped toward them and he nodded. "Perfect. Let's begin."

"What exactly is going on?" Kurama questioned as Koenma started sifting through the pages of a large, dusty looking book on his desk.

"I've found a way to transport the traveling power of the well, but I need both of your help."

Kagome yawned as she slowly woke. Stretching before getting out of bed, she expanded her aura through the house. No one was home but her step mother and Kokota. Glancing at the clock on her nightstand, she huffed. It was nearly midnight, where was Kurama? Shrugging her shoulders, she made her way into her closet. Pulling on a pair of sweats and a tshirt, she moved to her window and opened it quietly. Sticking her head out, she glanced around before swinging her leg out. Straddling the window sill, she smoothly swung her other leg out and lowered herself until she was handing from her window. Reaching up, she pulled her window closed just a bit before dropping to the ground. If it wasn't for all the endurance training Sango drilled her though, she was positive that a fall like that would have seriously injured her.

Dusting herself off, she began making her way toward the street. She originally planned to go to the shrine in the morning but she knew she wouldn't be able to wait until then. Plus there was less of a chance any police would be in the area at this time of night. It was more likely that they'd be there in the morning. With that in mind, the miko began her long trek toward her old home. Her father's house was easily over an hour away from the shrine by car so on foot, it'd take her at least a few hours. Before leaving the neighborhood, she spread her aura out around her to see if any of the detectives were tailing her. She couldn't detect any demonic auras nearby. Shrugging, she continued on.

It took her nearly two and a half hours to reach the shrine and she was relieved to find she wasn't even winded. With all the nonstop traveling in the feudal era, a two hour walk was nothing to her. Climbing the steps slowly, she examined her surroundings carefully, keeping an eye out for any movement. Once she reached the top, she found her feet frozen to the ground. She stared at her home with longing in her eyes. It still looked as it always did… except the spider that was carved into the front door. That and the empty feeling that drowned the area. This place used to be so full of life… it used to look welcoming but now it just looked abandoned. Clean but haunting.

Sighing heavily, the miko slowly approached the house. She couldn't stop herself as her fingers wrapped around the doorknob and pushed the door open. The entire house was dark but Kagome's trained eyes could see effortlessly. The blood that once painted the walls was no longer there. The stains that littered the floor had been cleaned and there were no body bags… The police had yet to contact her about what they were going to do with her families bodies so she figured they were still working on the autopsies. Still trying to find out how her family died.

Kagome shook those thoughts from her mind and glanced around the house. Most of their things were still how they'd left it but it was obvious that someone was packing the house. There were empty boxes everywhere and the miko wondered what they were going to do with her family's possessions. Just in case the police planned to donate everything, she grabbed a box and began walking through the house. Collecting anything she wanted to keep, she slowly examined each room. She saved her room for last and brought a whole separate box up for it. The officer that packed her things and brought it to her fathers house only gathered her clothes and a few other small things. Opening her door, she was glad to see her room hadn't been tampered with too much. Starting with her closet, she started filling the second box with things she wanted to bring to her new home. Things she couldn't leave behind, like her photo album of her feudal era friends.

Once she was finished, she carried the box downstairs and out the door. Placing it on the ground near the shrine steps, she went back to get the other box and stopped just as she exited her home. Turning back to look inside, a tear trailed down her cheek as images of her family flashed through her mind. Sniffling, she pulled the door closed with her foot and piled the second box on top of the first. She planned to grab them after she explained everything to her friends in the past. She knew she couldn't stay long because someone was bound to realize she wasn't home. Especially since Kurama wasn't home when she left. She knew he would get worried when he realized her aura was nowhere in the house.

Quickly making her way toward the well house, she leapt into the well only to hit the bottom painfully. "What the hell…" Grabbing her throbbing ankle, she stared up at the ceiling of the well house. Glaring at it, she forced herself to her feet and climbed up the ladder. Trying one more time, though this time sliding down the ladder, the miko growled angrily. Why wasn't the well working? Remembering Koenma mentioning something about Botan placing a seal on the it to keep Inuyasha from passing through, she wondered if the spell also kept her from using it. Groaning, she limped out of the well house and toward her boxes. Looked like she wouldn't be able to get to the past yet… she'd have to wait for the prince to figure out a way to 'copy' the power of the well for her.

Mumbling to herself in irritation, she sucked in a breath before lifting the boxes and starting down the steps. With her injured ankle and having to carry the two boxes, she was in for a _long_ trip back to her father's house. She just hoped she got there before Kurama because she really didn't feel like explaining to him where she'd been.

A/N:

Two chapters in one update! Gosh I'm awesome ;) hope everyone enjoyed. R&R please, I live for your reviews!

~*Icyfire*~


	7. New Orders

Light within the Darkness

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Yu YuHakusho… though a girl can dream can't she?

Chapter Seven: New Orders

Kagome woke to the sound of someone knocking on her bedroom door. Rolling out of bed, she dragged her tired body across the room and opened the door to see Kurama's smiling face.

"Good morning Kagome. I'm sorry to wake you but I'll be attending a team meeting in a few hours… and since Koenma requires us to protect you, you'll need to come with me." He murmured.

Kagome groaned. "When is the meeting? And where?"

"One o clock, at Yusuke's house."

The miko glanced at her clock on her nightstand. "Wake me up half an hour before we have to go."

"Is that enough time for you to get ready?" he asked quietly, slightly curious of why she seemed so tired.

"I've learned to pack up an entire camp in ten minutes, I think I can manage changing my clothes and brushing my teeth in triple that time." She mumbled before closing her door and returning to her bed.

Kurama stood at her door for a moment before shrugging his shoulders and making his way downstairs. He wasn't sure why Kagome was so tired but if it weren't for his demonic counterpart, he was positive he'd be hanging by a thread by now. He hadn't slept at all last night because Koenma had him help with a spell to take the well's powers. It'd taken them all night to gather the correct items for the spell and actually activate it but it worked. Koenma informed him of the team's new orders and instructed him to update the others.

Once he arrived home early that morning, he called and left a message on Yusuke's communicator to inform him that he planned a team meeting. The meetings were always either at Yusuke's or Genkai's so there wasn't much question of where they needed to be. Considering that the detective and Kuwabara preferred to sleep in on weekends, the avatar set the time for afternoon to give them plenty of time to start their day. Speaking of starting days, his gaze landed on a plate full of waffles on the kitchen counter. Taking a seat beside his step brother, he smiled toward his mother.

"Where's Kagome?" Kokota asked as he shoveled a bite of his breakfast into his mouth.

"Still sleeping. I tried waking her but she said she wanted a few more hours."

"I'm not surprised. She wakes up so early every morning… she's probably exhausted from the week." His mother said as she began washing the dishes she'd used to make breakfast.

"Why does she wake up so early? She never waits for you does she?" Kokota asked.

Kurama shrugged. "I'm not sure, but I think it might have something to do with a coffee shop. She has coffee from the same place every morning."

"Is it that place that serves ice cream too?"

The avatar nodded. "How'd you know?"

"When I gave her a tour around the city, we stopped there for ice cream. Guess she likes the coffee too." The boy grinned. "So what are your plans for the day?"

"Going to Yusuke's house later, Kagome's coming with me."

Kokota pouted. "What if I wanted to spend time with our new sister?"

"She asked if she could come with me. I'm sure she'd like doing something tomorrow." Kurama smiled. He hated lying to his family, especially his brother, but he had no other choice. He'd rather them not know of the monsters that roamed their world.

"I'll ask her when you guys get home from Yusuke's. I'll see you later, I'm off to a friend's house."

Kurama's eyes narrowed playfully. "Weren't you just whining about not being able to spend time with Kagome?"

The boy grinned. "I was just messing with you." He snickered before disappearing from the kitchen.

The avatar rolled his eyes as he continued eating his breakfast. He smiled toward his mother when she placed a glass of orange juice next to his plate before also exiting the kitchen. He glanced toward the clock and sighed. Only twenty minutes passed since he'd spoken with Kagome. What was he going to do until he had to wake her?

Kagome followed Kurama silently as he made his way toward a two story home. She wasn't surprised as the avatar casually opened the door and stepped inside. Loud noises could be heard from deep inside the house and the miko frowned slightly. Continuing to trail behind her step brother, they entered what seemed to be the living room and she allowed her gaze to take in her surroundings. Yusuke and Kuwabara were lounging on a couch playing a video game she remembered Souta often played. The volume of the tv was just as loud as her brother would have it.

"Are you alright?"

The miko glanced beside her to see Kurama staring at her with worry written all over his face. She nodded and smiled slightly before moving toward the couch. Plopping down on the cushions beside Yusuke, she stared at the screen. They were playing a shooting game called 'Call of Duty'. Souta used to play online for hours on end and she'd sometimes play with him even though she was nowhere near as skilled as he was. After playing a few games with him whenever she visited this time, she began to improve and she could remember how proud her little brother was of her. Shaking her head of those thoughts, she focused on the screen.

"Kuwabara, don't you have a spy plane?"

"Using it now!"

"Damnit! This same guy keeps sniping me!"

Kagome watched both their screens and rolled her eyes. Considering they fought demons and were so alert out in the field, it was funny how slow they were to react to an enemy that appeared on their screen. "Two to your left." She muttered.

Yusuke glanced toward her for a split second before he was killed by the players she'd pointed out. "Damnit!"

"Kuwabara, check behind you."

"How'd he even get there?!" the tall human complained after being shot down.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "You two suck at this game."

"Oh yea? I'd like to see you do better." Yusuke snorted as the round ended. Kagome shrugged and took the controller from him. While they waited for the new match to start, the miko decided to rearrange the gun classes to her likings. She was much better with semiautomatic guns that had less kick and were quick to reload. She held back her smirk when she caught the surprised looks on both Kuwabara and Yusuke's faces. She couldn't see Kurama from where she was sitting but she was sure he was staring at her curiously. Once the match was about to begin, she stretched and leaned back against the couch.

Her screen was loading on the left as Kuwabara was choosing his gun class to use on the right. The game began and Kagome directed her shooter in the opposite direction the rest of the team rushed off to. She'd played this map many times before with Souta. The enemy team _always_ started in the direction her team headed BUT there was a vantage point in the direction she went that she could see the entire enemy team from. If she wasn't too rusty with her shooting skills, she should be able to kill almost the entire team within the first two minutes of the game.

"What the hell?" Yusuke muttered as he watched Kagome shoot down 6 of the 8 players on the enemy team.

A small smile graced her lips as she focused her attention on the game. By the time the match was over, she had the most kills and least deaths of her team. Tossing the controller into Yusuke's lap, she smirked. "You just got outplayed by a girl."

All three detectives were staring at her with surprise written all over their faces. "Where'd you learn to play so well?" Kuwabara asked quietly.

Her gaze fell away from them and she frowned slightly. "My little brother used to play with me all the time…"

Silence filled the room until Kurama's communicator began to ring. Excusing himself, he stepped into the hallway to answer the call. He returned moments later just as a portal appeared beside him. "I'll be right back, have to pick up something from Koenma." He stated before disappearing through the black void.

Yusuke focused his gaze back onto Kagome and rested his hand on her thigh. "I'm sorry."

She forced a smile and shook her head. "I'm fine."

"Why is there a meeting today?"

Everyone turned to see Hiei standing at the doorway with his usual scowl. Kuwabara shrugged his shoulders.

"Not sure yet, Kurama should be back any minute. He had to make a run to Koenma's" Yusuke explained.

"What is she doing here." Hiei questioned, glaring toward Kagome.

The miko snorted. "I go where I want, when I want."

The hybrid's glare intensified. "Do not think that you are safe just because you are related to the fox."

"Even if I wasn't under protection according to orders from _your_ boss, I still wouldn't be scared of your petty threats."

Hiei growled in irritation as he reached for his katana.

"Hey man, none of that in my house!" Yusuke yelled as he stood from his seat. Just as Hiei unsheathed his blade, he stopped in his tracks. A blue hue began to seep from the woman's skin as she released her power. Glaring toward him, she stood as well. Yusuke could feel the hairs on his arms stand on end as her aura flooded the house. She was a lot more powerful than he first expected. Glancing toward Hiei, he could see the surprise on his face.

"Did I forget to mention she's a miko?" Yusuke laughed nervously.

"A powerful one…" Kuwabara muttered as he too stared at the power radiating from her.

A portal appeared in the living room and Kurama stepped out only to freeze where he stood. "What's going on?"

Kagome pulled her power back and turned her gaze to Kurama. "Nothing to worry about. What did Koenma need?"

The avatar shrugged off the tenseness that suffocated the room and pulled a necklace from his pocket. Tossing it to her, he smiled at the confusion that filled her eyes. "I'll explain the details later but that necklace now has the power of the well."

Her eyes widened slightly as she met his gaze. "He did it?"

"You doubted him?"

She merely nodded.

Rolling his eyes, he turned to his teammates. "We have new orders."

"Kill the miko?" Hiei spat, glaring at her once more.

Yusuke laughed. "Like you could! She'd turn you to dust before you could blink. Hell, you know she's quick enough to counter your attacks, you're basically a baby in a trench coat compared to her!"

Hiei's glare redirected to the detective. "Perhaps I'll kill you as well."

"Enough. Kagome will be resuming her mission. We are to protect her during the time she's here." Kurama explained.

"What does that mean?" Kuwabara asked in confusion.

"Her mission takes her to other locations, but she will be returning home frequently so our family doesn't suspect anything. We are to keep her safe when she's here."

"So will you be missing school?" Yusuke asked as he turned to her.

She nodded. "Everyday most likely. It's the only time I can be away from home for several hours."

"Where do you have to go for your mission?" Kuwabara asked.

"That's not something you need to worry about." She answered as she made her way toward the hallway. "Are we done here Kurama?"

The avatar nodded before smiling toward his team. "See you at school on Monday." He said before following his step sister out the door.

Staring down at the necklace in her hand, Kagome waited for Kurama to join her outside Yusuke's house. It was a plain piece of jewelry, a simple silver chain with a gold rose pendant attached. Turning when she heard the door close, she fell into step beside the avatar. She waited until they were a decent distance away from Yusuke's house before letting loose her curiosity. "So how'd he do it?"

"He found a spell that could be used to take the power of an object and transfer it onto another entity. He and Botan relocated the well's power into that necklace and I reinforced the chain with an unbreakable vine to eliminate the possibility of losing the time traveling power. I'm sure you were aware that if the well was ever destroyed that you would be trapped in whichever time you were in. Same concept would have applied to the necklace so I wanted to make certain that accident couldn't occur."

Kagome nodded. "Thank you… So how does it work?"

"According to Koenma, all you need is to jolt it with your energy and the power will teleport you. But I must warn you. If you lose the necklace, anyone that knows how to use it can teleport through time." He explained.

"Ok, so don't lose the necklace. Got it. Anything else?"

"Only the individual wearing the necklace can pass through the portal. So Inuyasha won't be able to come and go through this time as he pleases."

She sighed heavily. "He's not going to be happy about that…"

"Indeed but this way you can be in the past everyday. You just need to return at night so no one here realizes your gone"

"Ok another question… where exactly will it teleport me?"

Kurama reached into his pocket once more and handed her a bracelet as well as a small folded piece of paper. "The first time you teleport, it will take you to the well in the feudal era. Use the chant on that paper and the power of your necklace will make a connection to the bracelet. Give it to one of your traveling companions and you will teleport wherever the bracelet is."

Kagome grinned. "Awesome… so we can travel and I won't have to go back and forth to the well. That's convenient."

Her step brother nodded. "Knew you'd enjoy that part."

"Thank you Kurama, this means a lot to me." She murmured as she clasped the necklace around her neck and shoved the bracelet and piece of paper in her pocket.

"Anything to help Kagome, you're part of my family now. And although I haven't known you for as long, I feel closer to you than father and mother because you know and understand our lifestyle. I can never tell them what I do for a living or what I really am… but I can talk to you about it."

Kagome nodded. "I know what you mean. My family knew the basics but I could never tell them everything. My mother would've had a heart attack if she knew just how much danger I faced on a daily basis."

Kurama sighed. "That actually worries me. My memories from my time as Youko remind me of how dangerous it was all those years ago. I know you can protect yourself quite well but who exactly do you travel with?"

"A hanyou, one of the last taijyai and her neko companion, a monk, and a kitsune kit. As Koenma told you before, I learned how to fight from Sango and Miroku and Inuyasha is more than powerful enough to take care of everyone."

"Then why did the slayer and monk train you?"

Kagome sighed. "Because I was sick of being the weakness of the group. The soft spot. And I wanted to be able to protect Shippo, the kit. He's like a son to me."

He nodded. "Alright. Please be careful. I don't like that there's no way for us to help if you're in trouble… or to even know if you're in danger."

The miko smiled softly. "I'll be fine, don't worry." She said as their home came into view. Glancing up toward the sky, she groaned. It wasn't dark yet and that meant her father hadn't left for work yet.

Kurama glanced toward her from the corner of his eye. He knew she wasn't looking forward to seeing their father. "You could go to the feudal era now… I could tell them you decided to sleep at a friend's house for the night."

A smile crept its way across her face and Kurama jumped slightly when she suddenly hugged him. "Thank you!" She squealed before running ahead of him and disappearing behind the house. She was probably going to sneak into her room from the outside so no one knew she was home. He couldn't help the laugh that escaped him as he shook his head. Kagome was opening up to him more every day. He knew it wouldn't be long before she trusted him completely. He'd actually been surprised she told him about her traveling companions. Tuning his senses toward him home, he could hear Kagome rummaging through her closet for supplies. Rolling his eyes, he entered the house and went straight to his room. Collapsing down on his bed, he reached for the new silver chain that hung around his neck loosely. His silver chain worked the same as the bracelet he instructed Kagome to give to one of her companions. He felt slight comfort knowing that whenever his step sister returned to this time, she would appear near him no matter where he was.

Kagome quickly stuffed a few items into her yellow backpack before tossing it over her shoulder. Touching the pendant softly, she glanced around her room to make sure she wasn't forgetting anything. Shrugging, the miko took a deep breath before pushing her powers into the necklace. A soft blue glow engulfed the rose shaped pendant and a gasp escaped her before the miko suddenly disappeared.

A/N:

Kagome is finally going back to the feudal era! Wonder how Inuyasha will react when he finds out about her family. Tell me what you think so far! R&R please :)

~*Icyfire*~


	8. Time Traveler

Light within the Darkness

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Yu YuHakusho… though a girl can dream can't she?

Chapter Eight: Time Traveler

Teleporting felt much different than how she used to travel through time. When she would leap into the well, she felt as if the laws of gravity didn't exist. Her new method of travel was much faster. One second she was standing in her bedroom and the next, she was beside the well in the feudal era. Shaking her head clear, the miko pulled the folded piece of paper and bracelet from her pocket. Opening the paper, she placed the bracelet on the lip of the well and read the chant. The silver bracelet glowed blue for a moment before returning to normal. Shoving the paper back in her pocket, she picked up the bracelet and examined it. Did it work?

"KAGOME!"

She barley had enough time to prepare herself as a red fur ball collided with her stomach. Truly laughing for the first time since she found her family slaughtered, the miko wrapped her arms around Shippo tightly. "I missed you so much Shippo."

"I was worried sick Kagome! Inuyasha said the well wasn't working and I thought I was never going to see you again!" the kit whimpered as he buried his face in her shirt.

She sighed and held him tighter as she pushed the bracelet into her pocket with the piece of paper. "I'm alright… but there's a lot that needs to be explained. Where is everyone?" she asked, surprised Inuyasha wasn't already screaming at her.

"We heard news that Kouga's tribe was attacked again so Inuyasha went to check on the pack. He should be back soon. Sango and Miroku are in the village. I smelt you the minute you arrived in this time and came running."

"Let's go to Kaede's then, the others are probably worried about you."

"They're on their way here already."

Just as the kit finished speaking, Sango and Miroku appeared in the distance coming from the direction of the village. Once they spotted the miko, they quickened their pace. "Kagome! We were worried sick!"

Kagome nodded solemnly. "I'm sorry, there's a lot I need to explain. Let's return to Kaede's and I'll tell you everything." Both monk and slayer nodded and led the way back toward the village. "Update me on what's happened while I was gone?"

"The day you returned home, Inuyasha picked up on Naraku's scent. He was hiding within the forest and we feared that he'd seen you travel through the well." Sango reported.

"He fled after Inuyasha managed to break down his barrier. We were going to head back to the well to make sure there wasn't any damage done but Inuyasha wanted to hunt down Naraku since his scent was still fresh." Miroku said.

"But after a few days, he returned empty handed. He said he lost his scent trail and was going to bring you back in hopes that you could sense his shards. We thought the worst when he couldn't pass through the well…"

"You thought it sealed itself?" Kagome asked.

"What else were we to think?" Miroku questioned, worry evident on his tired face.

"We waited several days, hoping that it was a mere flaw. Inuyasha suspected that Naraku had something to do with the well not working so once we heard news that Kouga's clan was attacked, he set out immediately." Sango explained.

Kagome nodded, her gaze focused on the lights she could see in the distance. "I hope Kouga's alright…"

"Ginta was the one to give us news of the attack. He informed us that Kouga was fighting Naraku alone. His army was too much for the pack so he ordered them to flee."

"Damnit…" the miko swore as they entered the village. Once they arrived at Kaede's hut, she plopped down next to the fire and pulled Shippo into her lap. Kaede turned a questioning glance toward Miroku and Sango as they sat as well. Brushing her fingers through the kit's fur, Kagome sighed. "Naraku killed my family."

They stared at the miko with wide eyes. Shippo glanced up at his adoptive mother sadly. "How?"

"The day I returned home and you guys fought him off, he'd just returned from my time. He somehow figured out a way to use the well."

"How is that even possible? Only you and Inuyasha can use the well." Sango murmured.

"We do not know how the Bone Eater's Well chooses who to allow through. Kagome cannot pass through without shards of the Shikon Jewel whereas Inuyasha can pass with or without them." Kaede explained.

"How did you know it was Naraku that attacked your family?" Miroku asked.

"There was a spider carved into my front door…" she muttered. "The police, which are authorities that deal with those types of situations in my time, found my father and took me to live with him."

"You never mentioned your father before." Shippo piped up. 

"That's because he was dead to me. He left my mother to raise my brother and I on her own. If I had a choice, I would've never stepped foot in his house." She said sourly. "But anyway, a few days after I moved into my father's house I met my step brother. Turns out he's a youkai that works for Reikai."

"Reikai?"

"In my time, the world is split in three. Makai, Reikai, and the human realm. My step brother brought me to see his boss, the prince of Reikai. He explained that he knew everything about me and my mission. He holds a history book in his possession that tells him what happens in this time as it occurs."

"How is that possible? Wouldn't this history already be written in your time?" Miroku asked in confusion.

"Apparently when I was pulled through the well, history was changed. Everything that was written was erased once I arrived here. We are rewriting the history of this time as we speak."

Sango snorted. "Talk about the weight of the world resting on our shoulders."

"So if we lose against Naraku… the future will change?" Shippo asked.

"Naraku was never supposed to get his hands on the jewel. It was never supposed to be returned to this time or shattered in the first place. If we don't defeat Naraku, everything will change." Kagome explained.

Silence filled the hut as they allowed the new information to seep in. Before they hunted Naraku for their own personal vengeance or goals but now… now they fought to protect the future. They never realized how important to the world it was that they win the battle against Naraku.

"Perhaps we should start by finding a way to keep Naraku from traveling to your time again." Kaede spoke up.

"Already got that taken care of. The reason Inuyasha couldn't pass through the well is because Koenma, the prince of Reikai, placed a seal on it to keep anyone from using it. He found a way to take the power of the well and infuse in into this necklace." She explained as she pulled the necklace from under the neck of her shirt. "This is the new way I travel through time."

"And only you can use it?" Shippo asked.

The miko nodded. "Yup." She felt bad for lying to them but she preferred that no one in this time know the necklace could be used by anyone that knew how to use it. Digging for the bracelet, she tossed it to Sango. "Keep that with you wherever we go. I can return to my time whenever I want but now instead of having to go all the way back to the well, when I come back to this time, I will appear wherever that bracelet is."

"I can sense the magical connection between the jewelry." Kaede muttered as she touched the bracelet in Sango's hand softly. "What if it breaks?"

"Even that base was covered. My step brother infused the chains with an unbreakable vine."

"Must be a kitsune then." Miroku mused.

The miko nodded, rolling her eyes when she saw the excitement in Shippo's eyes. "I wish you could meet him Shippo, he's very powerful."

"Is he really old?"

"It's complicated actually… He's human but the soul of a kitsune shares his body. I think he said the kistune's name is Youko."

"Youko Kurama?!"

She nodded, laughing slightly as the kit sprung from her lap in his excitement. "He's a legend! You're so lucky he's related to you!"

"You'll have to tell me about these legends later, but right now it's bed time kiddo."

"Aw but why?" he whined.

"Because it's late. Goodnight guys." She smiled toward her friends. They nodded and prepared for bed as well. They expected Inuyasha to return sometime the next day and if they were right, it'd be a _long_ day.

Kagome woke with a start when she sensed a shard approaching the village at a frantic pace. Leaping to her feet, she rushed toward the door just in time to see Inuyasha appear in the distance with Ginta and Hakaku dragging Kouga behind him. Pulling the bamboo door aside, she stepped out of the way so the men could enter. Kaede was up and gathering supplies moments after they're arrival. The two wolves placed their injured prince on the ground as gently as they could before moving away so the old miko could get to work healing him. Kagome was about to ask what happened until she spotted Inuyasha stomping toward her angrily.

"Where the hell have you been?!"

"Inuyasha, I understand you're angry but let me-"

"Why the hell couldn't I go through the well?!" he interrupted her.

She sighed, knowing there was no point in trying to speak or explain herself until the hanyou calmed down.

"We were all worried that Naraku had done something or hurt you! Why would you seal the well and scare us like that wench?! What took you so long to get back!" he hollered, breathing heavily.

After a few moments of silence from the irate hanyou, Kagome crossed her arms over her chest. "Are you done?"

A glare formed on Inuyasha's face but Miroku stepped in before the situation could escalate. "Let her speak Inuyasha."

Smiling to the monk in thanks, she redirected her gaze to the hanyou. "Naraku figured out a way to use the well. He killed my family."

For the first time in the years she'd known Inuyasha, he'd been rendered speechless. The miko watched the emotions play across his face as his gaze slid to the ground. She wasn't surprised by his reaction to the news. Inuyasha liked her family… they were the first to accept him for who and what he was. Over the years, he'd grown to love her family just as they loved him. He may not have admitted it aloud before but the pain currently written all over his face clearly proved her assumptions to be correct.

"I'll explain the details later but the prince of Reikai took the power from the well and fused it with this necklace. That was the only solution we could come up with to make sure Naraku never used the well's power again." The miko continued to explain.

Still Inuyasha said nothing.

Turning toward Ginta and Hakaku, she moved to stand beside them and survey the damage done to the wolf prince. "What happened?"

"We didn't even sense him coming…" Ginta murmured.

"His army was overwhelming. We weren't prepared for the attack. We couldn't fight them off." Hakaku whispered.

"Are you three the only survivors?" the miko asked quietly.

"No, majority of the pack escaped. Kouga ordered them to scatter because it would be harder for Naraku's forces to target them. He ordered me to locate your group for help." Ginta answered.

"He attacked Naraku full force as a distraction to give the pack time to escape. Several of us stayed behind to help Kouga but there were too many of them. After hours of fighting, Naraku was able to take one of Kouga's shards. His sacrifice for the pack nearly cost him his life." Hakaku explained.

"That's when Inuyasha and I returned. He was able to drive Naraku and his army away. With Kouga so badly injured, we decided to bring him here for healing." Ginta said as he turned his gaze to the old miko cleaning and bandaging Kouga's wounds.

"All that matters is that he's alive and most of you are safe." Kagome murmured, resting a hand on the wolves' shoulders in an attempt to comfort them. They both nodded in agreement as Kaede finished her work.

"He should gain consciousness in a few hours. Let him rest for the time being." She announced.

Deciding it would be best if they left the hut until Kouga woke, Kagome ushered majority of the occupants outside. Taking a seat beside the structure, the miko sighed heavily. "We need to find the rest of the shards…"

"Indeed but is it safe to leave Kouga here unprotected?" Miroku piped up.

"Definitely not. We need to get moving once he's healed enough to travel." Sango stated.

"Agreed. And now that we don't have to come back to the well so frequently, we can stay on the move for longer."

"What do you mean?" Inuyasha muttered, his first words since learning of the murder of Kagome's family.

Kagome glanced toward the hanyou and smiled slightly. "The prince of Reikai was able to modify the details of my traveling. That bracelet that Sango wears," she nodded toward the silver chain around the slayer's wrist. "It's connected to my necklace. Whenever I return to this time, I will appear near that bracelet."

"That's convenient." Inuyasha snorted. "Why didn't we do this earlier?"

"Because I never would've met my step brother that works for Reikai if my family wasn't killed."

Inuyasha's ears flattened against his skull at how devoid of emotion Kagome's voice sounded. He didn't like his best friend sounding so much like the undead Kikyou. Naraku would pay for putting Kagome through so much pain… "Step brother?"

"Yup. Apparently my father isn't dead. He had a family of his own. The police forced me to move in with him."

"What about the shrine?"

"Since I'm still only in high school and don't have enough money to pay for the property, the government is selling it… that's the other reason why I needed to take the power of the well. I couldn't be sneaking onto private property every night." Kagome explained.

"That's not right…" Inuyasha muttered. "It's your home."

"Thanks to Naraku, not anymore."

A/N:

That damn Naraku… ruining everyone's lives.

~*Icyfire*~


	9. Sibling Secrets

Light within the Darkness

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Yu YuHakusho… though a girl can dream can't she?

Chapter Nine: Sibling Secrets

Kagome was packing up her things in Kaede's hut when Kouga finally regained consciousness. The wolf pushed himself into a sitting position and she moved to his side to assist him.

"You probably shouldn't be moving around just yet you know." She teased.

"I'm fine, Naraku barely touched me." Kouga huffed stubbornly.

Kagome snorted. "Yea… barely touched you but somehow managed to steal one of your shards and nearly kill you."

His gaze fell away from hers as a scowl formed on his face. "He's going to pay…"

"Yes… yes he is." She murmured as she returned to gathering her things. It was nearly sundown and she needed to return to her time before her family started to worry about her. She was sure Kurama would make up an excuse for her if the need arose but she didn't want to make him lie to his family anymore than he already did.

"Where are you going?"

"I have to go home for the night. I'll be here during the morning and evenings but I need to return home at night so my family doesn't worry about me." She answered. It was hard for her to explain why she would be leaving and returning so frequently since she hadn't told Kouga the truth about her time traveling. She just hoped he would mind his own business. She preferred to keep the truth a secret for as long as she possibly could and only share it with the people that absolutely needed to know.

"So you will be back in the morning?"

"Yes. And if you're healed by morning, we'll be heading out to begin searching for the last of the shards. If Naraku attacked you so directly, he must've been after your shards… and that means he's having a hard time locating them." She explained.

"So you think almost all of the shards are collected?" Kouga questioned as he tried to get more comfortable.

Kagome nodded. "I have nearly half and I'm sure Naraku has about the same amount. There are probably just a handful of shards left to find and whoever finds those shards will have the upper hand in the final battle."

The wolf stared at her in surprise. "You intend to use the shards in the final battle?"

"What kind of guardian would I be if I used the shards for my own personal gain? Naraku, on the other hand, will use them against us. So the more shards we can keep him from taking, the less of the jewel's power he can use against us."

Kouga nodded as he watched the miko haul her bag onto her shoulder. She turned to him and smiled before wishing him a goodnight and exiting the hut. She waved to Ginta and Hakaku, who were helping Kaede carry firewood into the hut. After hugging Sango, Miroku and Shippo goodbye, she searched the surrounding area for Inuyasha. Spotting him in a tree beside the path she used to take to get to the well, she made her way toward him.

"I'm going home for the night. I'll be back in the morning."

"You will be going home every night now?" he asked softly.

She nodded. "Now that I'm living with my father and his family, I need to go home at night so they don't wonder where I am. I'm not sure they will be as understanding about my travels to this time as my mother and Souta were…"

The hanyou nodded slowly. After a moment of silence, he sighed heavily. "I'm sorry Kagome."

The miko shook her head. "It's not your fault."

"It's not yours either."

She shrugged. "No matter, Naraku will pay for everything he's done."

"I'll make sure of it." Inuyasha growled softly in agreement.

Kurama anxiously paced in his room. It was an hour past sundown and Kagome had yet to return from the feudal era. He'd already told his mother and brother that she was still at her friend's house studying for an upcoming test but the avatar hoped his new sister didn't think he would be able to cover for her all the time. Just as that thought crossed his mind; he heard the front door open. Sensing the miko enter the house, he sighed in relief. It was very stressful knowing that she was prancing around lands where demons roamed freely and at any given moment she could be attacked and possibly killed. Hearing a knock at his door, he hurried to open it.

"So do you have a bracelet like the one I gave to Sango or will I always appear in the backyard when I return to this time?"

Kurama smiled and revealed the chain that hung around his neck. "I wanted to make sure you returned near me in case you were injured. Do you know how nerve racking it is waiting for you to come back from a time period as dangerous as the feudal era? How did your mother not suffer from worry when you would disappear for months at a time?"

The miko smiled but it never reached her eyes. "She never knew just how much danger I faced. I would always make sure I was decently healed before coming home. I didn't want her to worry about me. But even without me telling you about all the trouble I get into in the past, you already know."

"Not knowing if you're alive, injured, kidnapped, under attack, safe, or dying makes me very anxious. It would be nice if there were a way to communicate with you while you're in the past… or if Koenma could allow me to have that history book he possesses."

She shook her head. "Communication is probably not possible and that book would only help ease your mind a little. It only shows what is and has happened, not what will happen."

"Still, even that small amount of information would be relieving. At least I would know if you were alright. I just hope he will inform me immediately if anything were to happen to you." He muttered.

"I'm sure he would. He probably reads that damn book all day seeing as the outcome of my mission will determine if this time will remain the same or change for the worst."

"Kagome, you're home!"

Turning to glance down the hall, the miko smiled toward Kokoda. "I am, how was your day?"

"It would've been better if I could have spent it with you." He pouted.

She laughed. "If I'd known that, I would have come home earlier."

"Well now you know. Think we can go downtown next weekend?"

"Sure, I'll clear my schedule just for you." She grinned.

He smiled. "Can't wait." he said, waving to both her and Kurama before disappearing into his room.

"Will you have time to take him downtown?" Kurama asked softly.

She nodded. "Of course, I'll make time." The sound of the front door opening and closing reached their ears and Kagome's happy mood quickly drained away. Apparently her father hadn't left for work yet. Wishing her step brother goodnight, she scurried off toward her room before her father could even make it past the kitchen. Locking the door, she collapsed down on her bed. Tomorrow her group would begin searching for the last of the shards… it was bound to be a long and tiring day. Closing her eyes, she forced herself to sleep despite the fact that she hadn't eaten dinner yet. She refused to sit in the kitchen and eat with her father. He didn't deserve her company.

Kurama yawned as he stepped onto school grounds and made his way toward the large brick building. Spotting Yusuke standing near the doorway, he was surprised to see him there so early. "Good morning Yusuke."

"Hey Kurama… So she's really skippin school everyday?"

"She was gone before I even woke up." He answered.

"So you'll barely see her huh?"

The avatar rolled his eyes. "You don't have a crush on my step sister do you Yusuke?"

"Course not. I'm just askin." He snorted, crossing his arms over his chest as he fell into step beside the redhead. "But really though… how's she supposed to keep up her grades?"

"She'll be attending a few days, mostly test days. I told her I would collect notes from her classes for her." He stated.

"Oh, gotcha." Yusuke murmured, silence falling between them for a moment. "So is this mission she's on dangerous?"

Kurama tried his best to keep from laughing at his comrade. It was obvious that he liked Kagome; he was just too stubborn to admit it. "Quite dangerous in fact."

"And you're not worried about her?"

"Very worried actually. I was pacing my bedroom waiting for her to return home last night." The redhead admitted.

"Was she alright?" Yusuke asked, worry lacing his voice.

"Yes, just running a little behind schedule I suppose."

"And you still won't tell me what her mission is huh?"

Kurama sighed and shook his head. "Like I said before, it's not my place to say. I'll see you later Yusuke." He said before heading toward his first class of the day.

Kagome dropped her pack onto the ground before slumping down beside it. They'd been traveling for hours without a break. She wasn't sure how Kouga was possibly able to keep up with Inuyasha's torturous pace with his wounds not completely healed yet but he somehow managed. It was only after Shippo began whining about his stomach growling that the hanyou finally allowed them to rest for a moment. Digging through her pack for a few snacks, she tossed a bag of chips toward Miroku before pulling a box of pocky out for the kitsune. The miko glanced toward the sky to determine what time it was.

"I need to return home, if I'm reading the time correctly, school let out almost an hour ago." Kagome piped up to her group.

"So?" Inuyasha huffed.

"So I need to go back, my parents don't know about my travels and I don't plan on telling them. You all can continue as far as you want, I'll return in the morning." She explained as she secured her bag onto her back.

"How are you going to catch up to us?" Kouga asked. He was still very confused with the situation of Kagome needing to go home every afternoon.

The miko showed him the necklace she wore. "This has a spell on it. It allows me to teleport home. The bracelet that Sango wears is connected to this necklace so I can teleport to wherever Sango is when I'm ready to join you guys again."

"That's handy…" Ginta muttered.

Smiling, she bid them farewell for the evening and closed her eyes. Activating the necklace's power, the miko suddenly found herself in Reikai. Glancing around the familiar office that's lights were currently dimmed, she spotted the four detectives, Botan, and Koenma all watching a screen on the opposite side of the room. It was apparent to her that no one was aware of her presence after several minutes passed without anyone acknowledging her. Focusing her attention on the screen, she realized it was a bundle of surveillance tapes of some kind. Clip after clip showed an incident or blur of destruction. From the looks of the surroundings in the tapes, it seemed they were recorded from around the city.

"Our security cameras are catching various demons, which we cannot seem to detect on our monitors, wreaking havoc through the city. I'm not sure how they got past the barrier without detection and how they remain untraceable but they need to be found and destroyed. The last clip showed what looked to be a horned demon snatch a woman from the street and drag her into an alley. Moments after she disappeared into the darkness, the demon was seen right in from of the camera just before it destroyed it." The lights flickered back on and Koenma turned his attention back to the detectives, finally spotting Kagome amongst them. "So nice of you to join us, Kagome."

All four boys turned sharply to see the miko standing behind them with her arms crossed over her chest casually. Hiei looked slightly irritated that he hadn't sensed her presence in the slightest and Kagome held back her laughter. "Trouble in paradise?" she asked, directing her question to the demi god.

"Nothing we can't handle. How's your mission going?" he retaliated.

She snorted, spotting the history book on Koenma's desk. "Like you don't already know."

"We don't know." Yusuke piped up, crossing his arms over his chest as well.

Turning her gaze to the detective, she smiled sweetly. "Nothing _we_ can't handle."

The detective rolled his eyes. "Still not gunna tell us about your mission huh?"

"I told Kurama." She answered casually.

Deciding that she probably wasn't going to concede, Yusuke grudgingly forced himself to stop trying. "So you need us to hunt down these demons, awesome. Anything else or can we go?"

Koenma shook his head. "That's all for now. Be careful, I'm not sure how powerful these demons are or how many are out there." He added as Botan made a portal for them. They all stepped through and Kagome took a slow glance around Yusuke's living room.

"Do you guys always meet here for team meetings?" she asked, glancing toward the boys. She wasn't surprised to see Hiei was already gone and Kuwabara was on his way toward the door.

"Usually, sometimes we meet at the hag's temple." Yusuke answered.

The miko glanced toward Kurama in question. "Hag?"

"An old psychic that trained Yusuke to use his powers." He explained.

She nodded her head as she slid her backpack onto the ground and plopped down onto the couch. "What a long day…" she sighed.

"What happened?" the redhead asked, moving to sit beside her.

"Naraku sent his army after Kouga yesterday and was able to take one of his shards. He was brought to us to be healed last night. We set out to look for the last of the shards this morning and Inuyasha pushed us to keep going for hours." She said, leaning her head back against the couch, completely aware that Yusuke was listening to their conversation.

"I'm guessing Kouga and Inuyasha are a few of your companions?" the detective asked.

She nodded before stretching her limbs and standing from the couch. "We should get going Kurama."

The avatar nodded and took her bag before she could reach it. Smiling her thanks, she followed her step brother toward the door. "See you later Yusuke." she said over her shoulder.

"I'm going to find out your secret sooner or later, you know that right?!" he yelled after her.

She smirked, knowing her secrets were driving him crazy. "You can try."

A/N:

Sorry it took so long to update! Was in the middle of moving but now that we're all settled and unpacked, there will be regular updates :) hope your all enjoying so far!

~*Icyfire*~


	10. Untraceable

Light within the Darkness

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Yu YuHakusho… though a girl can dream can't she?

Chapter Ten: Untraceable

"It's been two weeks! How can we be having so much trouble finding shards? Something wrong with your shard radar wench?" Inuyasha complained.

Kagome turned a glare toward the hanyou. "There is nothing wrong with me, there aren't any shards in the area."

"You've been saying that for the past week!"

"Because it's true! I haven't sensed anything!" she snapped.

"Well maybe you should try harder!"

"Or maybe I'll stop coming back here and you can find the damn shards by yourself!"

"Shut up Inuyasha! You're going to make Kagome go home and never come back!" Shippo whined.

"Don't worry Shippo, Kagome's isn't going to leave us." Sango tried to reassure the kit as Inuyasha and the miko continued arguing.

"I'd like to see you find a shard without me! If it weren't for me, you'd hack and hack away at those demons until you pass out! You'd never be able to find a shard on your own!" Kagome snarled.

"I don't need you for anything but to purify the shard. I can do everything else without your useless ass." Inuyasha huffed.

"We'll see about that then." The miko fumed, stopping in her tracks and turning to Sango. "Take Shippo please Sango."

"Why?" the slayer hesitated as she took the kit from her friend's grasp.

"I'm going home. He can find the shards himself." Kagome hissed, securing her backpack over her shoulder and reaching for her necklace. "I'll be back later to see my point proven." She said before disappearing.

"I hate you Inuyasha! You always make her go away!" Shippo screeched.

"Shut up runt." The hanyou snorted, turning his back to them and continuing on the path they were traveling.

Miroku sighed. "Can't they ever get along?"

Kagome appeared in the backyard and sighed in relief. "Must mean Kurama is home too then." She muttered to herself as she scurried toward her room and put her pack in her closet. Grabbing some clean clothes, she opened her bedroom door and made her way toward the bathroom for a much needed shower. Once she was finished, she ventured down the stairs to the kitchen only to nearly groan in irritation.

"Hello there Kagome, I thought you were at a friend's house." Her father smiled toward her as he set the dinner table.

"Not anymore." She muttered as she opened one of the cabinets to get a snack.

"Don't eat too much dear, dinner is nearly ready." Her step mother said over her shoulder from the stove.

Glancing toward the woman, she nodded slightly. She found she couldn't be rude to the woman as she was to her father. It wasn't her fault her father left them. She probably didn't even know the whole story. Grabbing a small bag of chips, she quickly retreated from the kitchen and nearly collided with Kokoda.

"I didn't know you were home." He grinned up to her.

"Just got back from a friend's house." She smiled softly.

"Oh, well do you want to go downtown?"

"For what?"

"Get out of the house. I haven't been able to spend any time with you lately, you're either busy or with Shuuichi."

The miko frowned slightly. Now that she thought about it, she hadn't spent much time with Kokoda recently. She'd been so focused on her mission in the past… "Sure, let's go." She murmured as she hurried up the stairs to get a coat. Spreading her senses through the house, she could feel that Kurama was in his bedroom, probably sleeping she guessed since he hadn't come out to ask her how everything was in the feudal era. Rushing back down, she linked her arm through Kokoda's and allowed him to lead her toward town.

"We're supposed to be lookin for these damn demons that are _swarming_ town but we haven't found any in weeks!" Yusuke growled in irritation.

"No kidding, there was so much footage of demon attacks I'm surprised we can't find any of them." Kuwabara muttered.

"This is so damn annoying." The detective seethed. "I could be relaxing at home right now instead of pointlessly searching for demons that aren't even here!"

"At least this is helping to keep your mind off that Kagome girl."

Yusuke stopped in his tracks to turn to his comrade. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Kurama's step sister, Kagome." Kuwabara murmured.

He glared up at the orange haired man. "I know _who_ you're talking about stupid, I want to know _why_ you're talking about her."

"Cause you keep talkin about her, but lately we've been so busy looking for these demons you haven't said much about her."

"I don't talk about her." He snorted, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Yea, you do."

"You're an idiot, you don't know what you're talking about."

"I know that you like her, a lot." Kuwabara smirked.

Yusuke glared up at him once more. "No I don't."

"Now you're lyin to yourself Urameshi."

"Shut up stupid, I don't like her."

"Well if you don't like her, then I'm gunna try my luck with her. She's pretty." Kuwabara stated, watching Yusuke's reaction closely.

Said detective's glare intensified as he took a threatening step toward him. "Don't you go anywhere near her."

"Why not? You said you don't like her. And Kurama isn't competition for me since he's her step brother, that means easy pickings!"

"I will kill you Kuwabara." Yusuke growled.

"So you do like her then." He smirked.

"No." he snapped stubbornly.

Kuwabara shook his head as he glanced down the alleyway they were walking through and caught sight of a familiar face. "Hey… isn't that Kagome?"

Yusuke snorted. "Nice try, I'm not gunna fall for that one."

"No really, that's her with Kokoda." He whispered, pointing toward the busy street ahead of them.

Still not believing his friend, he rolled his eyes as he glanced in the direction he was pointing. The detective's eyes nearly fell from their sockets when he spotted the miko with her step brother. He slammed his back against the wall beside him to hide himself in the shadows before yanking Kuwabara beside him. They silently watched the two as they made their way across the street to an ice cream shop. Remaining concealed by the shadows of the alley, they waited for them to exit the building.

"Why are we hiding?" Kuwabara whispered.

"Cause."

"Cause why?"

"Cause I don't want her to see us." He muttered in irritation.

"Why don't you want her to see us?"

"Cause I don't, now will you shut up?!"

"Why are we whispering? She's not a demon, she can't hear us from across the street." Kuwabara questioned, ignoring his friend's demand for silence.

Yusuke turned a glare toward the tall man behind him. "We're just gunna follow them for a bit, then we can go."

"Why do you want to spy on her?"

"I thought she was supposed to be on her mission, so I wanna know why she's here instead." The detective murmured.

"Looks like she's spending time with Kokoda…" Kuwabara muttered as the miko and her step brother exited the ice cream shop with their snacks.

"Let's go." Yusuke whispered as they stuck to the shadows and followed the two.

Kagome allowed Kokoda to lead the way through town as she enjoyed her ice cream. She didn't particularly care where they went, as long as she didn't have to be home with her father. Glancing around for a clock, she sighed at the time it read. She'd need to take Kokoda home soon for dinner. Spreading her aura through the surrounding area, she wasn't surprised to sense Yusuke and Kuwabara were still following her. She'd picked up on their auras moments before they passed the alley they were in. She wasn't sure what the two detectives were doing but she decided to ignore them for the moment. Once she realized they'd spotted her and began trailing her, she started keeping an eye on their location. She didn't know why they were following her but she intended to find out before she began heading home.

"Kokoda."

Her step brother slowed his pace so he could walk beside her. "Yes?"

"You know Yusuke and Kuwabara right?" she asked quietly.

He nodded.

"I'm not sure why, but they've been following us for the past hour. When I tell you to, I want you to hide behind those trash cans down that alley, see them?"

Glancing toward where his step sister was staring, he nodded. "What are you going to do?"

"Scare them." She smirked. "Follow me closely and hide when I tell you." She instructed before quickening her pace. Dodging through the crowd, she took a sharp turn down a side street before gently pushing Kokoda toward the alley she directed him to hide. Moving to the opposite side of the alley, she pressed herself against the wall, concealed by the shadows. Moments later, Yusuke and Kuwabara appeared on the sidewalk at the entrance of the alleyway. Looking toward Kokoda, she put her finger to her lips in a signal to be quiet.

"Where the hell did they go?" Yusuke complained, his eyes scanning the entire area around them.

"I lost sight of them in the crowd, maybe they took a shortcut to get home." Kuwabara shrugged.

"How'd we lose them so quick? Damnit…" The detective muttered as he glanced down the alleyway beside them. "Let's just go home." He said as he led the way down the alley. Groaning to himself, Yusuke was caught off guard when someone suddenly grabbed his forearm and slammed him into the wall nearest to him. He was about to retaliate until the scent of his attacker reached his nose.

"Why are you following me Yusuke?" Kagome asked sweetly, her features becoming visible as his eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness.

He smirked down at her and wrapped his arm that wasn't pinned to the wall around her waist. "Makin sure you two don't get in any trouble, of course."

Kagome quickly removed his arm from around her and pinned it to the wall as well. Glaring playfully up at him, she brought a small amount of her purification to her hands. He flinched slightly from the sting of her powers. "Now why don't you tell me the _real_ reason you were following us."

"You have a pair of handcuffs under your bed don't you?" he teased, not bothering to fight against her seeing as he enjoyed the current position they were in.

Rolling her eyes, she released him and put some distance between them. "Stop stalking me."

Kokoda stood from his hiding spot and grinned. "You guys didn't even see her! She's like a ninja!"

Yusuke chuckled. "Yea, a ninja. You don't even know the half of it kid."

"What do you mean?" the young boy asked.

"Your step sister could beat Kuwabara up with her hands tied behind her back." He stated, winking toward the boy.

"Hey!" Kuwabara complained. "She's not that good!"

Kagome snorted. "Kuwabara, I could beat Yusuke with my hands tied."

"You can take me down any day babe." The detective smirked, his mind running a mile a minute.

"In your dreams you pervert." Kagome rolled her eyes as she turned toward her step brother. "Come on Kokoda, let's go home." She murmured before leading him out into the busy streets.

Yusuke watched them disappear into the crowd and shook his head. "Damnit she's so hot."

Kuwabara sighed. "I knew you liked her."

A/N:

Sorry it took so long to update! Life -_- but to make it up to all of you, I'll post 3 chapters in one day! ;) hope you all enjoy, and thank you for all the reviews!.

~*Icyfire*~


	11. Lost and Found

Light within the Darkness

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Yu YuHakusho… though a girl can dream can't she?

Chapter Eleven: Lost and Found

Kagome sighed as she stared at her ceiling in boredom. They'd been searching for three weeks and had yet to find anymore shards. She was beginning to wonder just how many more remained before all the stray shards were collected. She had no idea how they would know if there were anymore shards, their only indication was if Naraku began targeting their portion of the jewel. At the rate they were going, she wouldn't be surprised if the dark hanyou did indeed plan an attack on them soon. They were easier to find than the last stray shards, although they were more of a challenge. They'd fought off his creations on more than several occasions so the miko wouldn't doubt he was merely gathering his forces and planning his next move.

She and Kurama seemed to fall into a routine within the past few weeks. She would leave for the feudal era in the morning while Kurama would go to school. He would return home and wait for her to arrive back from the past before he went out with the other detectives to search for the rogue demons that were supposedly rampaging the city. Neither Kagome and her group nor the Spirit Detectives were able to locate what they were looking for and both parties were getting frustrated. A knock on her bedroom door pulled the miko from her musings and she lifted her tired body off her mattress. Cracking the door open, a soft smile touched her lips as her gaze landed on Kokoda.

"Are you hungry?" he asked with his usual smile.

"A little but…" she hesitated as she stuck her head out her bedroom door to look down the hallway.

"He's getting ready for work and should be leaving soon. Want me to come get you when he's gone?"

The miko smiled and nodded. "Thank you." She murmured before closing her door once more. Ever since her outburst, her father didn't bother her. He left her alone unless they crossed paths and he would attempt to speak with her. She still ignored him. Her step mother, though, was a different story. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't hate the woman. She was just too nice. Kokoda definitely inherited his sweet personality from his mother. Kagome didn't go out of her way to converse with Shiori but she smiled and respected the woman when she was in her presence. Kagome found her train of thought once again interrupted when she sensed Kurama approaching. From what she could feel through his aura, he seemed tired and frustrated. That meant they hadn't found any demons in the city tonight either.

Hearing the front door open and close, the miko moved to her doorframe and waited for Kurama to crawl up the stairs. Once he spotted her, he detoured into her room and collapsed onto her bed with a sigh. "I'm beginning to think the demons aren't even in the city anymore. If it weren't for the new footage we receive every week, I would stop this pointless searching."

"I know how you feel. We haven't found shards in weeks. I'm worried that there aren't anymore left to find and that Naraku is formulating his attack plan as we speak."

The avatar lifted his upper body to lean on his elbows. "Is Kouga still traveling with your group?"

She nodded. "He has to since we don't know what Naraku has planned. We stand a better chance staying together until this is over."

He sighed. "I really don't want you in the middle of that fight."

"There's nothing you can do to stop me Kurama. I must avenge my family."

"I know, I would never take that from you. I'm just worried." He huffed.

She rolled her eyes. "I'll be fine, there's nothing to worry about. I'm more worried about you guys out there looking for demons that are apparently invisible."

"You definitely don't need to worry about us."

"With Yusuke and Kuwabara always fighting and messing around, there is plenty to worry about."

Kurama's gaze cut across the room toward her as a smirk touched his lips. "Oh so you're worried about Yusuke, not me."

She scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous Kurama. I'm worried that their childish antics are going to get you hurt."

Now it was his turn to roll his eyes. "Sure Kagome. Whatever you say."

"Ready to eat?"

Kagome and Kurama turned their gazes toward the door to see Kokoda grinning toward them. The miko nodded and motioned for Kurama to follow as they ventured toward the kitchen. "You don't have to worry about me Kagome, you may have healing powers but I have my own tricks up my sleeve as well." He whispered to her on their way to their destination.

"I know all about you kitsunes. Have you forgotten that Shippo is kitsune?" she murmured back to him. "That sneaky kit is always getting into trouble with the 'tricks' he has up his sleeves."

"Not as much trouble as you get into I'm sure." He snorted.

She turned a glared toward him. "It's not like I _ask_ for trouble you know."

"You're practically wearing a sign that says 'Attack me!' with all those shards you're traveling with."

"What else am I supposed to do with them? I'm the guardian, I need to keep them pure. And it's not like I can leave them here safely since there are _invisible_ demons to worry about in this time."

"Just be careful please. I don't need you appearing in the backyard half dead. I don't know how I would explain that to everyone." Kurama muttered.

Kagome trudged along behind her friends as Inuyasha led them further east. Another week had passed and they still hadn't come across any shards. Not even rumors of any in the area. Attacks on their group were becoming more constant seeing as they were the only ones in possession of shards. Fortunately for them, most of their attackers were weak enough for them to rid of rather quickly before continuing on.

"I'm bored!" Shippo whined as he slowed his pace to walk beside the miko. "Can't we take a break for a while and stay at Kaede's?"

"Shut up runt. We have to find the last shards before Naraku." Inuyasha snapped, obviously just as bored at the kit.

Kagome turned a gentle smile to the kitsune when she spotted his pout. "Don't worry Shippo, this journey is almost over and then we can relax and not worry about Naraku wreaking havoc on the lands."

"We don't want to remain at Kaede's because it would put her and the other villagers in danger if Naraku ordered an attack on us." Sango pointed out as she ruffled the kit's hair. "Besides, with all the weak demons we've been dealing with lately, it gives you a chance to practice your abilities."

The kit grinned up at the slayer. "My magic has been getting stronger hasn't it?"

"Very much so. Soon you will be able to take on demons all by yourself." Miroku added proudly.

Kagome laughed at the pride flooding the kit's aura. He was so happy the others were noticing his improvement the more he used his magic. Not only were Shippo's skills strengthening, everyone was improving. With Kagome's abilities still not completely under her control, it was helpful to be able to work with Miroku on their downtime. Sango and Kouga were also very helpful with keeping up on her combat training. Inuyasha preferred not to be involved since he didn't see why Kagome needed to know how to fight when he promised to keep her safe.

Sighing heavily as she pulled herself from her thoughts, she glanced up to the sky to gauge the time. "I think I'm going to go home for the day and rest, maybe catch up with some schoolwork. Why don't you guy make camp and take a rest as well?"

"That actually sounds like a wonderful idea." Miroku sighed.

"My woman, always thinking about everyone else." Kouga grinned toward her.

Kagome rolled her eyes as she heard Inuyasha's warning growl toward the wolf. "Play nice please, I don't want to have to heal anyone when I get back." She mumbled as she kissed Shippo on the nose and prepared to leave. After saying goodbye to everyone. She activated her necklace. Once in her time, the miko glanced around in confusion of her location. She seemed to be in an alleyway downtown but couldn't hear any of the usual sounds she'd hear in the area. Guessing that she was closer to the abandoned part of town, she spread her senses to find Kurama and was surprised when she felt a shard of the jewel.

Hurrying off toward where she felt not only the shard, but her step brother and his friends as well, she wasn't surprised to see them fighting against a large mantis demon. She could hear Yusuke and Kuwabara complaining about why the demon's legs kept reattaching after they were removed and she rolled her eyes. The poor guys didn't know the demon had a shard and would continue to regenerate until the shard was removed. Casually walking up behind Kurama, she placed her hand on his shoulder and nearly scared the wits out of him. It was obvious by his reaction that he'd been so focused on the demon that he, nor anyone else, had sensed her arrival.

"Take off its right claw." She instructed him calmly.

The avatar stared at her for a moment in question before obliging. Within minutes, Kurama found the opening he needed to remove the demon's claw. Kagome erected a barrier around herself before quickly making her way toward the squirming appendage, keeping a close eye on the demon that was still focused on Yusuke and Hiei's attacks. She briefly heard Yusuke asking when she'd gotten there just as she reached the claw. Pushing her purification into her fingers, she touched the appendage and watched it turn to ash. Reaching down, she grabbed the shard and held it tightly as she made her way back to Kurama. Informing him that they could finish it off and it wouldn't regenerate, she carefully placed the shard in the bottle attached to her necklace before placing it back inside the neck of her shirt.

The boys finished the demon in a matter of minutes and before Kagome knew it, Yusuke was in her face staring at her suspiciously. "What did you do?"

"What are you talking about?" she asked innocently.

"We've been fighting that damn bug for nearly an hour and you come waltzing in and suddenly it can't regenerate anymore?"

"Have you forgotten that I'm a miko? You guys couldn't sense or see it but the demon had an artifact in its claw that allowed it to regenerate as long as it was in its possession. When I arrived and sensed the artifact, I asked Kurama to remove it's claw so I could purify the item so it couldn't be used anymore." She explained calmly. Kurama was the only one that knew about the Shikon and her quest and she planned to keep it that way. It was safer for them if they didn't know. Hell if she had a choice, she wouldn't have told Kurama either. There was nothing good in store for those linked to the jewel and she didn't like that her step brother was thrown into the mix.

"You're hiding something." Yusuke stated, glaring at her still.

She shrugged. "Aren't we all?"

"Leave her alone Urameshi, you can't force her to tell us her secrets." Kuwabara complained.

"Watch me."

Kagome snorted. "I'd like to see you try, you may have demon blood running though those veins but if you're going against me, my power will take advantage of your demon side."

"You're only upper hand is your miko abilities. If we had a fair and square face off, I have no doubt I'd win." Yusuke crossed his arms over his chest confidently.

"Oh yea? Why's that?" she snapped, glaring at him now.

"I'm stronger than you, obviously." He smirked.

Kurama quickly grabbed Kagome's forearm before she could start a fight that she definitely wouldn't win, especially if she wasn't using her powers. "Well, how about we head on home? We can continue searching for the last of the demons tomorrow." He stated before dragging his step sister away.

"You always ruin my fun Kurama!" Yusuke complained as he began making his way toward home.

Kurama rolled his eyes as he released the miko and allowed her to walk beside him without him dragging her. "You came back early."

"It was boring there and I figured I could catch up on some school work. Seems it was a good thing I came early too, otherwise you guys would've been fighting that thing for hours."

"Speaking of, what _did_ you do?"

"Although I don't know how, that demon had a shard of the jewel. It was using its power to regenerate whenever you guys injured it and until the shard was removed, it would've continued the same healing process over and over again."

"Those are the shards you're searching for in the feudal era? How did one of the shards get to this time?"

"If I had to guess, maybe Naraku brought them with him when he attacked my family." She murmured. Her eyes widened as realization dawned on her. "Maybe this was Naraku's plan all along… plant a few shards in this time where I wouldn't suspect them to be so he could come back for them later. He probably didn't think the well could be sealed to stop him from coming to this time. If I'm guessing his strategy correctly, then the demons you guys are searching for through the city have shards."

"And that's why we're having such a hard time finding them?" Kurama questioned.

"Probably. The jewel can grant demons a multitude of powers; it just depends on how they use the power of the shard they possess. It can be used to mask their presence, regenerate them, increase their strength, and even disguise them." She explained.

Kurama sighed in irritation. "So how do we find these demons? I know you still don't want the others to know about your mission and the jewel so how are we supposed to find the demons and take the shards from them if you can't help us?"

Kagome thought for a moment before giving him her answer. "I'll take a few days away from going to the past and help you guys. I'll sweep the city and see what I can find."

"I don't want you doing this by yourself, it's too dangerous." Kurama argued.

She groaned in annoyance but nodded nonetheless. "Ok fine. _We_ can sweep the city. Just don't involve the others. And try to keep your energy level low, I don't want to alert Koenma of what we're doing. He doesn't need to know there are shards in this time, he'll only panic and try to throw the others into this chaos."

The avatar nodded as he continued to lead the way home. "We can begin tomorrow afternoon. For today, why don't we rest and you can catch up with your schoolwork like you originally planned? You can inform Inuyasha that you will be staying here for a few days in the morning."

"Sounds like a plan. I'm beat." She sighed, allowing her feet to drag a little.

Kurama rolled his eyes. "You just told me it was boring in the feudal era. How are you tired?"

"I'm sorry, who just helped you beat that mantis demon that all four of you were struggling with for nearly an hour?" she challenged playfully.

He snorted. "I think you're hanging around Yusuke too much. His cockiness is seeping into your pores."

The miko laughed. "I'm nowhere near as pigheaded as he is."

"That's what you think." Her step brother muttered under his breath before sidestepping away from the miko when she attempted to strike him. Chuckling, he rested a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You two would make the perfect couple."

She blushed beet red before turning a deadly glare toward him. "Shut. Up."

"I'm just saying." He stated, trying to hold back his laughter. He knew his step sister liked Yusuke. It was painfully obvious with how worried she seemed to be with anything involving him. She hid it well from the others but he'd been around her long enough to see right through her defenses. She liked his companion but didn't want him anywhere near the danger she was involved in so kept him at a distance. He just hoped that once the jewel was complete and all the chaos passed, she would be able to find the happiness she so deserved.

A/N:

Here's another quick update! Hope you all enjoy :)

~*Icyfire*~


	12. Silent Protection

Light within the Darkness

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Yu YuHakusho… though a girl can dream can't she?

Chapter Twelve: Silent Protection

"I honestly think we should just make a base camp somewhere and wait for Naraku to come to us. I doubt there are anymore stray shards left seeing as it's been nearly a month and we haven't come across any." Sango suggested as they continued to follow Inuyasha's lead.

"I like that idea." Shippo piped up, grinning toward the slayer.

"We need to keep moving." Inuyasha grumbled silently.

"Perhaps they're right Inuyasha. We may have more of an advantage if we can prepare for Naraku's attack. Set traps in the surrounding area to minimize his army even." Miroku added.

"We need to find the last shards first." He said stubbornly. He didn't want to admit to them that he didn't like the idea of sitting around and waiting to be attacked.

Kagome quickened her pace to catch up to the hanyou. "We should consider it. The group could use the rest anyway."

Growling in irritation, he gave in sooner than usual. "Fine. But if we all get killed cause we're sitting here like idiots, remember that this was your idea." He muttered before stomping off to scout the area.

Kagome rolled her eyes and set her bag on the ground. "Don't worry about him, he's just on edge."

No one blamed the hanyou for his attitude, they were all nervous of the upcoming battle. They didn't know when or how Naraku would attack, they just knew they had to win. Kagome hadn't told her friends about the shards she collected from her time with Kurama. There were a total of seven shards she'd located and Kurama was able to confirm that was all of them when Koenma announced their mission to clean the city of the demon threat was completed. She was almost positive there weren't many shards left unfound. Naraku would surely attack anytime in the near future. Speaking of the future…

"I'm going to go home for the day. See you all in the morning." Kagome announced as she hugged her friends. Hauling her bag over her shoulder, she activated her necklace and found herself in front of Yusuke's house. Spreading her aura around her, she located Kurama, Yusuke, and Kuwabara inside the structure before her. Pushing open the door, she set her bag down beside the door and made her way toward the living room. She wasn't surprised to see Yusuke and Kuwabara playing video games.

"I think a monkey missing it's opposable thumbs could play this game better than you two." She snorted as she plopped down on the couch beside the detective, nearly scaring him out of his skin.

"Why do you keep sneaking up on us like that?!" he snapped, though didn't avert his gaze from the television.

"It's not my fault you're not more aware of your surroundings."

"It's kinda hard to be aware of you when you keep yourself concealed all the time."

"Yea, you're like a ninja… or like Hiei." Kuwabara added, his eyes also glued to the game.

She rolled her eyes and turned her gaze to Kurama. "Has your entire day been this eventful?"

He shrugged. "Now that our latest mission is complete, we have nothing better to do until something else comes up."

"Wish I had time to be this lazy."

Yusuke snorted and cut his gaze toward her for just a moment before returning it to the screen. "It's not our fault your on some mysterious mission that keeps you busy for who the hell knows how many hours a day."

"My mission is important." She retaliated, crossing her arms over her chest.

"How so?"

"Nice attempt but you'll have to try better than that." Kagome smirked.

The round of the game they were playing ended and the detective turned to look at her fully. "Why won't you just tell us?"

"It's none of your business." She stated, averting her gaze.

"But maybe we can help." Kuwabara piped up from the other end of the couch.

She shook her head. "There is nothing any of you can do that could help my mission."

"You don't know that for sure." Yusuke argued. "We can be useful allies."

"No."

"Why won't you let us help you?"

"Because it's a mission that only I can complete." She stated before standing and making her way toward the door. Grabbing her bag, she slung it over her shoulder and was out the door before anyone could move.

"She's so damn frustrating!" Yusuke growled.

Kurama shrugged. "Im sorry Yusuke but you should respect her decision to not share with you her mission. She's just trying to keep you safe."

"Safe from what?! What could she possibly be facing that _I_ can't beat?!"

"That's not a question I can answer." The avatar murmured as he also made his exit. He quickly caught up to his step sister so he could walk with her the rest of the way home.

Kagome followed Shippo as he showed her all the traps they're group had set up during the free time they had the previous day. The goal of setting traps was to narrow down the numbers of Naraku's army as much as they could before the real battle began. Once all of their traps were set and they were comfortable with their surroundings, they planned to train until Naraku made his appearance.

"Miroku said he will show my how to channel my energy into plant life and control it. Doesn't that sound cool Kagome?!"

"Very, I'm so proud of your improvement Shippo. You're learning so quickly." She smiled warmly toward the kit as she allowed him to lead her back toward their base camp.

"I've been working very hard to perfect my magic. I hope one day I'll be able to protect you Kagome!"

She reached down to ruffle the kit's hair playfully. "One day you'll be strong enough to protect all of us."

Without warning, a large paw slammed into Kagome's ribs. She was so surprised that she hadn't sensed the demon that she didn't have time to generate a barrier around herself to prevent the sharp claws of the demon from sinking deep into her midsection. She hit the ground hard and rolled into the thick trunk of a tree. Gasping for the breath that'd been knocked from her, she desperately searched for Shippo. Her gaze landed on her attacker, a large bear demon, and was relieved that Shippo was nowhere near it. Realizing the bear was making its way toward her; she threw a barrier around herself and tried to sit up. Wincing in pain, she only managed to lift her head enough to get a better look at her surroundings.

Three other demons had entered their camp and were occupied by Sango, Miroku and Inuyasha. She spotted Kirara high in the sky with Shippo on her back and sighed in relief that they were safe. The bear demon slammed its large paws on her barrier in an attempt to break it. The impact was far more painful than the miko anticipated. The white hot pain she felt from her wound was quickly draining her of her energy and focus. She knew she'd soon lose the concentration required to keep her barrier up. She just hoped one of the others would be able to reach her before that happened.

Her attacker pounded the barrier once more and the miko nearly lost consciousness. Glancing toward her friends, she could see they were holding well against their opponents but wouldn't be able to reach her before the bear dug its claws into her again. Averting her gaze back to the bear, she watched it raise its massive arms over its head once more for another attack. Making a split second decision, Kagome quickly grabbed for her necklace and activated it.

"I really don't know how she's going to keep her grades up if she's skipping school all the time. You getting her notes isn't going to be enough to get her through all her classes." Yusuke muttered as they exited the front gates that surrounded their school.

"If there was more I could do to help her, I would. She insists that these notes will be enough."

The detective shrugged. "If you say so."

"She's smart, I'm sure she'll pass her classes just fine."

Before Yusuke could retaliate to the avatar's statement, his communicator rang. Pulling it from his pocket, he flipped it open. "What do you want toddler?"

"Put Kurama on right now." He demanded. The detective tossed his handheld device to Kurama. "I was checking on Kagome's progress and it seems her group has been attacked by a stray group of quite powerful demons. She has been seriously injured and according to what I just read, she should be making an appearance any moment."

As if on cue, they caught a glimpse of light from down an alleyway they were passing and quickly made their way in that direction. Upon spotting his unconscious step sister, he didn't bother to acknowledge the demigod any further. Shoving the communicator into his pocket, he hurried to Kagome's side with Yusuke right behind him. She was soaked in blood, none of it her enemy's. The only visible injury they could see were four large, deep gashes across her lower stomach to her ribs and it was bleeding heavily.

"What the hell happened to her?! How did she get here?" Yusuke panicked as he kneeled beside her on the opposite side Kurama was positioned. The detective quickly removed his shirt and pressed it against the wound across her stomach.

"I don't have time to explain, we have to get her to Genkai's." Kurama muttered as he quickly but gently scooped her into his arms. Taking off toward the temple, he wasn't surprised that Yusuke was right on his tail. Upon reaching the top of the stairs, he _was_ surprised to see Yukina already holding the door open for them. He spotted Hiei and Kuwabara in the main room as he followed Yukina deeper into the temple. Koenma must have contacted them as well and informed them of Kagome's condition. Hiei, in turn, must have suspected he would bring the injured miko to Genkai and prepared for their arrival.

The ice maiden pushed open a door and requested for him to place Kagome on the mat while she gathered some supplies to clean and bandage her wounds. Kurama gently laid her down before sitting beside her and peeked beneath Yusuke's shirt that was still soaking up her blood. Her wound had yet to clot and he was beginning to worry his step sister was in serious danger. Yusuke shuffled into the room quickly and kneeled beside Kagome as well, resting his hand to her forehead.

"Holy shit she's burnin up." The detective muttered. "Don't you have anything to cool her down? Or to stop the bleeding?"

Before he could answer, Yukina reentered and quickly got to work. She threw Yusuke's shirt to the side and placed a clean towel on the miko's wound. Applying pressure, the ice maiden slowly began pushing her healing powers into Kagome's wounds. After several minutes, she glanced up from her work to smile reassuringly to Kurama.

"Don't worry, she'll be fine. Her healing powers have been repairing her internal damage and are now working on her flesh wounds. I was able to stop the bleeding and give her healing abilities a small boost with my own. She will most likely wake within the hour." She explained as she dipped a new clean towel into a bowl of water she'd brought with her. "I'm just going to clean her up a bit and bandage her wounds."

Kurama nodded his thanks as he leaned back in relief. He'd been worried she might not make it… she looked half dead when they found her. How did she get so injured? Was the rest of her group alright?

"You better start talkin now fox boy cause I'm not gunna wait any longer to find out what's going on with her. How the hell did she get so beat up?!" Yusuke demanded, turning his gaze from Kagome to glare at his companion.

Kurama sighed heavily as his gaze settled on his step sister. "She hasn't told me the entire story but she travels 500 years in the past to put together the Shikon No Tama. I'm not sure how she came to possess the jewel in the first place but she told me she was responsible for its shattered state so she, and a group of friends she's met through her journey, are collecting the shards to restore the jewel to its original form."

Yusuke stared at him blankly for a moment as he tried to soak up the information. "She time travels?"

"There was a well on the shrine she lived that had the power to transport her from this time to the feudal era. Koenma and I worked together to take the power from the well and infuse it into the necklace she now wears. This chain," he lifted the chain he wore from under his shirt collar. "is connected to her necklace. Whenever she returns to this time, she will appear somewhere near me. And this is the exact reason I made sure of that. I was afraid she'd be hurt and return, so I wanted to be near enough to help her."

"The feudal era… isn't that before the barrier was put in place?" the detective asked.

Kurama nodded. "She is in constant danger in the past. There is a hanyou by the name of Naraku that is her groups' main enemy. He murdered her family and is the reason she lives with my family now."

"Wait… that shrine we investigated a few months back… the family that was slaughtered by a demon…" he paused in his suspicions and stared at his companion in disbelief.

"Unfortunately, yes. That family was her mother, grandfather, and little brother."

Yusuke shook his head as his gaze fell to the unconscious miko. "I knew she lost her family but I never made the connection between that and the recent killings. Now it makes sense why she so suddenly moved in."

The avatar nodded once more. "Yes. That is all I will tell you though Yusuke. If you want to know more, you need to ask her yourself, I've already said more than I should have." He said as he moved closer to Kagome and touched his hand to her forehead to check if her condition was improving. He felt relief calm his nerves when he realized her temperature was dropping into a normal range. He wasn't familiar with the healing powers of a miko but he was sure the overexertion of use on her energy to heal herself would leave her drained. Wanting her to wake fully healed, he pulled a seed from his hair and crushed it in his hand. Opening her mouth, he dusted the seed powder onto her tongue before closing her mouth once more.

"What are you doing?" Yusuke murmured.

"It's a mild sedative. With how severe her wounds are, she's using a lot of her energy to heal herself. Once she's healed enough to wake, her body will most likely force her into consciousness. But if I keep her sleeping, she will regain her energy quicker and she can wake a little more rejuvenated." Kurama explained.

Yusuke shrugged and moved to lean against the wall behind him. "Do what you want, as long as she gets better."

Kagome woke feeling better than she could ever remember. And considering what she remembered her condition was before she fell unconscious, that was saying a whole lot. Slowing opening her eyes, she stared up at an unfamiliar wooden ceiling. Panic didn't consume her only because she'd sensed Kurama and Hiei's auras when she initially woke. That told her she was in a safe location. Remembering the wounds that littered her body before she was able to teleport herself back to the future, her hands slowly reached up to touch her midsection. The majority of the severe wounds had been across her stomach and lower ribs but now they were untraceable.

"I'm guessing you feel better?"

The miko's gaze cut across the room and met with Yusuke's brown eyes filled with an emotion she could easily identify as worry. He was sitting against the wall closest to her and she was a little unnerved that she hadn't sensed his presence before. Realizing he wasn't wearing a shirt, she resisted the urge to allow her eyes to wander. "Much better."

"You were pretty beat up when we found you. What happened?" he questioned, his demeanor was calm but she could see in his eyes that he was restless.

"My group was attacked unexpectedly." She answered short.

"No more of this shit Kagome. Tell me what the hell is going on. I was worried like all hell when we found you today!" he snapped pounding his fist into the ground beside where he sat.

"Like you knowing what I'm doing will help anything! Who the hell are you to demand an explanation from me?! It's none of your business!" she yelled back, trying to sit up but quickly realizing her energy wasn't fully returned. She felt weak physically and knew it was because of the energy she'd used to heal her injuries. Wincing slightly, she tried to relax her strained muscles as she laid her head back down.

Worried she hurt herself from her sudden movement, the detective moved to her side. Placing a hand on her head to check if she was overheating from all the healing, he jumped slightly when the miko slapped his hand away. A scowl formed on his face before he shot to his feet and stormed from the room, slamming the door behind him. Kagome stared at the ceiling blankly, trying to hold back the tears that stung her eyes. She didn't like pushing Yusuke away but she had no choice. She knew he was just worried about her but she couldn't allow him to get too close. If he became involved in her situation, he'd be in danger. It was bad enough that her best friends and new step brother were tied into it; she refused to doom the detective as well.

A/N:

Holy flying fingers... Three chapters in one day! Just as I promised :) been so busy with school I didn't have much time to write but the semester is almost over! Hoping to have this fic done before winter semester starts ;). I ran over a duck today… it was the worst thing ever. Swear I didn't mean to! I was driving super slow and the damn thing walked under the van! I'm sorry duck!

~*Icyfire*~


	13. Alternate Approach

Light within the Darkness

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Yu YuHakusho… though a girl can dream can't she?

Chapter Thirteen: Alternate Approach

"I'm just relieved that you're feeling better." Kurama muttered as he walked beside his step sister on their way to school. It was a test day and if it weren't for Koenma having that book and being able to inform the miko that her companions were safe, she would've skipped school even today. Since he didn't know much about the miko's abilities, he was impressed to find that her wounds were completely healed a mere day after she'd been attacked.

"Unless poison gets in my system, I tend to heal very quickly. Especially when I'm surrounded by plant life. My aura absorbs the energy around me so Genkai's was probably the best place in this time to take me to be healed." She explained.

"Indeed. And Yukina was also helpful."

The miko smiled softly. "Yes, she is very sweet. Maybe after my mission is over, I can become better friends with her. She seems like she'd be a wonderful person to have around."

"Yukina is a very kind person considering her past. I think you two would get along great." He smiled.

She glanced toward her step brother in curiosity. "What kind of past does she have?"

The avatar shook his head. "I'm sorry Kagome but I'm going to tell you the same I tell Yusuke all the time; it is not my story to tell. You will have to ask her."

"Has that stalker been trying to pry information out of you?" she snorted.

"He's just worried about you."

"Well there's nothing to worry about."

Kurama stopped in his tracks and turned a glare toward her. "Nothing to worry about? Kagome you materialized into the middle of the city half dead! How can you possibly say there is nothing to worry about?"

She sighed and turned toward the avatar. "I was caught off guard, it won't happen again."

He shook his head as he continued toward school. "You have no control over what happens and when, there will be many times in the future that you will be 'caught off guard'. You cannot be angry with me _or_ Yusuke for being worried about you."

"I can understand why you're worried for me Kurama, we've grown close in the past few months. But why is Yusuke always trying to get in my business? Does he _want_ to get killed? Because it seems that way! Everyone that involves themselves with the Shikon is doomed. THAT is why I try to even keep you out of the loop with everything that's happening. I'm tired of people I care about being killed or hurt because of this damn jewel!" She hissed as she caught up to him.

"Has anyone told you that you worry too much about others? We are more than capable of taking care of ourselves Kagome. We're a lot stronger than we seem."

She shook her head. "I don't care how strong you are… I'm not putting any of you into unnecessary danger. End of conversation." She snapped before quickening her pace and disappearing into the crowded halls of their school.

Kurama sighed and shook his head. Kagome took far too much responsibility onto herself. She had enough to worry about as it was with her mission and the upcoming war her group was preparing for. It was clear to him that his step sister cared for Yusuke enough that she didn't want him involved with the jewel so she was pushing him away. That meant she liked him more than she was leading on. If she didn't, she wouldn't be putting so much effort into keeping the detective at arms length.

"She didn't seem in a very good mood."

Kurama turned to see Yusuke catching up to him. He nodded. "She's a little stressed over her mission."

He snorted. "No surprise there. How's she feeling?"

"She's completely healed, apparently her miko powers absorb energy around her and the forest surrounding Genkai's temple accelerated her healing process."

"That's good. So why's she here and not on her mission?"

"She has an exam in one of her classes. So why did you leave Genkai's yesterday? Kagome seemed to have just woken up after you left. I thought you weren't going to leave until she awakened."

"I did stay until she woke up. I tried to ask her about what happened and how she got so injured but she still won't tell me a damn thing. And when I tried to check her temperature, she slapped my hand away so I left." He muttered, obviously irritated.

Kurama sighed as he thought about his stubborn step sister. Glancing toward Yusuke from the corner or his eye, he could see how much the detective seemed to like Kagome but with her constantly pushing him away, he was getting more discouraged after each encounter. The avatar knew that Yusuke would be good for his step sister. With how equally stubborn the detective was, he could keep her grounded. Making a split second decision, he turned toward Yusuke. "After school, I'll meet you at your house and I'll tell you everything you want to know about Kagome."

The detective turned surprised eyes to his friend. "Why?"

"Because she's being stubborn and pushing us away because she thinks it's keeping us safe. She needs help but refuses to ask for it. Although we can't help her with her mission, we _can_ help ease her mind when she is not on duty. She likes you Yusuke, she just doesn't want to get close to you because she's afraid something will happen if you get involved in her situation. We need to show her that she needs our help when she is here. No one person should have to hold such a heavy burden on their shoulders alone…" he explained.

Yusuke stared at him for a few moments in silence before muttering, "She likes me?"

Kurama rolled his eyes. "Of everything I just said, is that all you heard?"

He shook his head, "No, I hear ya. She does seem stressed. I've tried to lighten her mood but she always closes herself off so I give her space since she doesn't seem fond of me."

Kurama snorted. "Oh she's definitely fond of you. That's why she's putting so much effort into keeping you away. In her mind, she's keeping you safe. We'll talk more after school." He said before hurrying off toward his first class.

Kagome absentmindedly made her way toward the cafeteria. The test in her math class was much harder than she'd anticipated it to be but she knew it was because she wasn't studying as much as she needed to. She didn't have time for her schoolwork. Not with everything happening in the past. Now that they weren't traveling in search of the remaining shards though, perhaps she could study between training. There was a lot of schoolwork she needed to catch up on if she wanted to pass the school year. Even with the notes Kurama was collecting for her, they weren't enough for her to pass all the tests in her classes.

Her gaze scanned over the room as she searched for her step brother. She wasn't surprised to see him sitting with Yusuke and Kuwabara, already eating their lunch. Slowly making her way toward them, she silently took a seat beside the avatar before digging into her meal. She could feel their gazes on her and hoped they would just let her enjoy her lunch and not pester her with questions that she refused to answer. Yusuke was powerful, she could feel it in his aura, but no amount of power could beat the jewel. She'd lost enough since her journey began, she didn't want to lose anyone else. It didn't matter that she possessed feelings for the detective. Feelings so strong that she was sure they would grow quickly if she allowed it. But with the danger that loomed around those who became involved with the jewel, she refused to put him in danger. For his own safety, she needed to lock up her feeling for him and throw away the key.

A loud beeping noise broke the silence among them and Yusuke reached into his pocket. Glancing around to be sure no one was paying attention to them; he flipped it open and set it on the table. Everyone watched as Koenma suddenly appeared on the screen looking far more stressed than usual.

"Yusuke! We have a problem. There is a tear in the barrier downtown. It's in an abandoned part of town but much closer to the city than any of the previous tears. You need to get there and close it before any of those demons reach civilization. Botan is waiting for you behind your school and Hiei is already on his way downtown. Please hurry!" he explained before the screen went blank. Kurama, Yusuke, and Kuwabara all stood quickly and began making their way toward the entrance of the school. Upon exiting, Yusuke was surprised to see Kagome following them as well.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked, glancing in her direction.

"To help." She answered.

"We don't need your help; you'll just get in the way." Yusuke argued.

"Get in the way? Do you not recall the last time I assisted in sealing a rip in the barrier? If I recall correctly, you were too _occupied_ to even help us when you first arrived." She snorted.

A smirk made its way to his lips. "It's not every day you see a hot chick fighting demons."

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. How about you just try to stay out of _my_ way." She muttered as they turned the corner to the back of the school. Botan stood waiting with a portal beside her. She smiled to them briefly as they rushed through. Kagome was caught by surprise when she exited the portal and found herself immediately engaged in battle. She could hear the moment her step brother and his companions joined and quickly disposed of her attacker. Taking in her surroundings, she found Hiei had beaten them there and was already surrounded by the bodies of the demons he'd defeated. He moved so quickly she could barely keep track of him. She spotted Kurama fairing quite well as well as Kuwabara, who was lobbing his spirit sword around.

Sensing a demon approaching her, she ducked just in time to dodge the sharp claws aimed for her neck. Spinning toward the demon, she finally spotted Yusuke. Calling on her purification, she turned her attacker to dust as she watched the detective effortlessly take down any opponent that dared to cross him. And he seemed to be enjoying himself, as if this were a warm up for him. As if sensing eyes on him, he glanced toward her and winked. Holding back her blush, she scowled at him and returned her attention to the demons around her.

They fought for hours but the demons continued to pour out of the tear. So quickly they had no time to advance toward the rip. For every demon they would kill, two more would take it's place. They were so focused on making sure no demons escaped to the city that they couldn't get any closer to the source of the disaster. Kagome was trying to keep an eye on the detectives as she fought, worried that one of them would slip up and become vulnerable. One glance toward Hiei told her that she had nothing to worry about when it came to the hybrid. He was still moving so quickly that no demon had a chance of landing an attack. Kurama also seemed to be holding his own well, using his rose whip to keep his enemies at bay. Glancing toward Yusuke, she could see she also didn't need to worry about him.

Her main concern was Kuwabara, who was slowly becoming fatigued. His movements were becoming sluggish and she took it upon herself to slowly move her fighting closer to the human. If he faltered in any way, she wanted to be close enough to help if he couldn't retaliate in time. As if on cue, a demon snuck up behind him while he was occupied with another attacking demon. Pushing her purification into her hand, the miko threw a sphere of her power at the demon just as he was preparing to attack. He turned to dust before he could even raise his claws toward Kuwabara.

Unfortunately, with her attention on helping the human, she didn't see the demon that was quickly approaching her. The miko suddenly found herself on the ground, Yusuke pinning her beneath him. She quickly squashed the excitement that flared in the pit of her stomach at the feel of his body pressed up against hers. Forcing her mind to focus, she glared up at him.

"You're welcome for saving your ass." He grumbled in his defense.

She quickly shifted her weight so that she rolled both of them over, pushing them out of ranch as a snake demon's tail slammed into the ground of where they'd just been. Her now laying over him, she scowled at the smirk she saw on his face. "Get over yourself." She groaned as she quickly pushed to her feet and jumped back into battle.

Using more of her purification than her fighting skills now, Kagome wanted to see progress. After the hour they'd already fought, it seemed as if they'd gone nowhere and she was finally frustrated. With the help of her miko abilities, the demons numbers were quickly diminishing and before long, Yusuke and Kurama were working to close the tear. Once it was sealed, Kuwabara collapsed to the ground, sighing in exhaustion.

"That was harder than I thought it would be." He huffed.

"Indeed." Kurama agreed as he made his way over to his step sister. "Are you hurt?"

She shook her head. "I was more worried about Kuwabara."

"Yea, so worried that she let her guard down." Yusuke muttered.

She turned a glare toward him. "I would've handled that demon just fine on my own."

"After or before his claws tore through you?"

"What do you care?" she snapped.

"I _care_ because I don't want to see you get hurt!"

"I can take care of myself." She snorted, turning to leave.

"Why are you so hell bent on pushing us away?! All we want to do is help!"

"Because my mission has nothing to do with you and will get you killed."

"We're only worried about you Kagome." Kurama piped up, causing her to turn toward them sharply.

" _You_ know how dangerous my mission is Kurama. You know that if anyone else is involved it will be more trouble than its worth. Don't you start pushing yourself into this too." She hissed, pinning him with her glare.

He stood his ground. "You're worrying too much Kagome. The reason we took the power from the well was to make sure Naraku couldn't come back here again. Now that you are the only one that can use the well's power, he cannot return to this time. He doesn't pose a threat here anymore."

"Stop talking Kurama." She snapped. "You are putting them in danger."

"No, I don't think I am. You are so scared of what will happen if you let anyone else in your life that you automatically push everyone away. The jewel can do no more harm to us here."

"And we can take care of ourselved Kagome. You need to stop worrying about us. We are worried about _you._ If you just let us, we can help you." Yusuke tried to reason.

She shook her head. "Why do you insist on pestering me with this? Just mind your own damn business!"

"You cannot be angry with us for caring for you Kagome. If you'd let us, we could lighten the load you carry on your shoulders." As he spoke, Kagome turned her back to them once more and began walking away. "Yusuke _cares_ for you. He is worried about you, as are the rest of us. I know you feel something for Yusuke. You're afraid that if you let Yusuke in, that the jewel will take him from you."

Kagome stopped for only a moment before continuing on, holding back her tears as she reached for her necklace. The detectives watched as she suddenly disappeared in a flash of light.

"So Koenma knows what's going on as it happens because of a book he has on that time? That's how he knew she was coming that day we found her half dead in that alley?" Yusuke questioned as he absorbed all the information his companion fed him. Kurama told him everything he knew, including the details he knew of her traveling group. Yusuke found he wasn't surprised that the miko was involved with such a dangerous mission. After seeing her in action during battle, he knew her life was similar to theirs with danger at every turn. But now that he knew just how much trouble she faced on a regular basis, he came to several other realizations. One, he found himself even more worried for her welfare and wondered what kind of trouble she was in at that exact moment. And two, his attraction toward her sky rocketed. Kagome ' s life style was very similar to theirs, she understood their purpose more than any other human in this time would. More than Keiko ever could. There were things he couldn't tell Keiko because she was an ordinary human. But Kagome... she was neck deep in the same situations as they were. She was perfect for him.

"Yes. Koenma often keeps track of her while she's in the feudal era so he can forewarn me if anything goes wrong. According to him, her group has been preparing for the final battle against Naraku to determine who will have the jewel. Her group needs to win or the future as we know it will be forever changed."

"And there's no way we can help?"

Kurama shook his head, a grim expression on his face. "Unfortunately no. I've already pestered Koenma but he insists that there is no way he could send us to that time. Our presence there would alter this time in ways it shouldn't."

"Is there anyway Koenma can give you a copy of this book? So we can know how she's doing?"

Again, he shook his head and Yusuke knew the avatar had already spoken with their boss over that matter as well. "He cannot duplicate the book. And since there is only one copy, he refuses to let anyone else be in possession of it."

Yusuke sighed, raking his brain for any other ideas. Any way that they could communicate with the miko while she was in the past. Throwing his hands in the air, he began to pace. "I don't know how you deal with this Kurama. How are you not worried about her all the time?"

The avatar scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "I am constantly worried over her. Every minute of the day. The only peace of mind I have is that Sango and Inuyasha are training her. She's already a force to be reckoned with considering her current fighting skills and powers, but the slayer is training her in the way of her traditions. And Inuyasha is training her agility and endurance. Sparring with a demon will make her more effective when battling them if she cannot use her purification. It also helps that if she does get into too much trouble, I now know she will telephone back here because she knows I will be nearby to help her."

"It sucks that we can't know what will happen to her before it happens... We'll only know as its happening." Yusuke muttered, still pacing.

Kurama watched his friend with a small smile. "You've grown to care for her quite a bit haven't you?"

The detective snorted, though it was clear to the avatar he was merely trying to downplay his true emotions. "She's a chick. Women should be protected, not thrown into the middle of a fire fight. I'm just worried she'll get hurt again."

Kurama rolled his eyes. "You know, when I first noticed your interest in my step sister, I thought it was you just being your perverted self because she's strong and beautiful. But seeing you now, sensing the worry clouding your aura, I know you genuinely care for her."

"Don't get ahead of yourself. Like you said, she's hot."

"I know it's more than that Yusuke. You can't hide behind that facade with me. I even dare say you feel stronger for Kagome than you ever did Keiko... and that's saying a lot considering you haven't known my sister for very long."

The detective groaned in frustration. "Keiko was never neck deep in the same shit we are! She never jumped into battle and fought alongside us, facing the same danger we do. Keiko is a regular human; she never would fully understand or accept us for who and what we are. But Kagome... I'm torn between being scared shitless and getting a hard on when I see her fearlessly punch a demon in the face. I can't decide if I like her fighting with us or if I dislike it because she putting herself in danger."

The avatar shrugged. "Unfortunately we have no say in what she's does. We couldn't stop her from fighting no matter how hard we tried. It'd be like trying to make you stop detective work. You are both equally stubborn, which is why I think you'd be perfect for each other."

"Yea well too bad she doesn't have the hots for me like I do her."

"Didn't we already cover this earlier Yusuke? She does like you. More than she leads on. She cares so much she doesn't want you anywhere near her because she thinks everyone that becomes involved with her and the jewel are doomed to the same fate as her family. She never thought Naraku could reach her family in this time. She doesn't even tell me everything. All that I've told you I've learned through Koenma. What she doesn't realize is that Naraku is no longer a threat here. We made sure of that. Now she's just being overly paranoid because she doesn't want anyone else harmed. But she needs to open up to someone here or all the responsibility she carries with be her downfall... We need an alternate approach. She's close to Kokoda but she can't confide in him when it comes to her mission. She won't open up to me, so perhaps she needs your stubbornness to break through to her."

"What if my persistence pushes her further away? She already gets pissed when I bug her about her mission... And it doesn't help that I can't get to know her. She's always on her mission and when she's not, I see her very briefly." he sighed, plopping down to sit beside his comrade.

"It would be nice to communicate with her while she's in the past..."

Silence fell between them as they raked their brains for an idea.

"And she can't bring like a cell phone?"

Kurama shook his head. "I doubt it would work in that time, not to mention Koenma would never approve of her bringing such a high tech device there."

Silence fell once more and Yusuke reached for his television remote. Turning it on, he grabbed his Xbox controller and powered on the console. A smirk played across his lips as he loaded a game. "Not gunna lie, I low key fell in love when she schooled us in Call of Duty."

Kurama rolled his eyes. "No surprise there. She can fight, she is well informed of the world we live in, and she plays video games. She's basically the girl of your dreams."

He grinned. "Now if I can just get her alone in my room, we're set."

The avatar shuttered. "Yusuke..."

"Too much information? My bad bro, can't help it sometimes." he laughed.

"Just please try to reserve those comments for when you're around Kuwabara... I do not need nor want to hear anything that involves that and my step sister."

Yusuke shrugged. "Well if she kills me for trying to get closer to her, you won't have to worry about hearing any of it."

The game started and Kurama fell silent once more, becoming lost in his thoughts. There had to be some way they could stay in touch with her while she was in the feudal era.

"We can't use notebooks or something? I saw that in a TV show once. They would write in these books using their blood and whatever they wrote would appear in any of the other books magically connected to it, no matter where the book was." he described, his main focus on the game.

Kurama pondered the idea before abruptly standing and making his way toward the door.

"Where you goin?!"

"To see if I can make your notebook idea work."

Kagome sighed in exhaustion as she forced her sore muscles to lift Sango's hiraikotsu back over her head. The weapon made purely of heavy demon bones had been nearly impossible to lift off the ground that morning but when Sango instructed that it would be the only weapon she was allowed to use during their spar, she quickly found the strength needed to use the oversized boomerang. For hours the slayer drilled her, forcing her to figure out how to use the hiraikotsu to defend herself against Sango's attacks. Halfway through the day, the miko became frustrated, demanding to know how training with a weapon she didn't use would help her. Sango explained that since the weapon was so heavy, it would not only increase her strength but would test her endurance.

If Kagome could fight effortlessly with the hiraikotsu, her skill with a katana or any other lighter weapon would be nearly unmatched. Not able to argue that logic, the miko continued to push herself. She knew that even though the explanation her friend had given her was a valid one, there was another reason she was being trained with the bone weapon. Sango wanted to be sure she could use any of the weapons used in their group. The slayers fighting skills far surpassed hers when it came to close quarters combat. If Kagome found herself in a bind with no weapon, she knew Sango wanted to be able to give her something she could use. And with how far the boomerang could travel, the slayer could potentially save Kagome from across a battlefield. If the miko could learn how to catch the hiraikotsu that is. And in order for her to catch it... She needed to be able to lift and use it effortlessly.

It was several more hours before Sango allowed her friend to collapse to the ground from fatigue. Laughing at the miko's dramatics, she lifted the hiraikotsu from the ground with ease and returned it to its rightful place on her back. "Rest Kagome. You're going to be sore tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? I'm sore right now." she whined.

She laughed once more. "Go home and rest then. Take a warm bath. Tomorrow we will be doing the same training until you can work with the hiraikotsu as well as I can."

The miko groaned as she pushed herself to her feet. "Naraku may not have to worry about killing me... This training is going to do it for him."

She rolled her eyes. "This training will _keep_ you from being killed by Naraku. Now stop whining and go home. It's getting late anyway; your step brother can't be making up stories for your absence all the time Kagome."

Guilt seeped into the miko's aura as she nodded. "I know... But what other choice do I have? We need to beat Naraku and when I'm not here, he could attack and I won't know."

"But doesn't Koenma have that book that tells him what's going on here? If anything were to happen I'm sure he would inform you immediately. Maybe you should take a few days off and stay in your time. Spend time with your new family. Catch up on school." Sango suggested.

"I can't slack in my training." she said stubbornly.

"Your step brother is a demon is he not? Ask him to spar with you. It will also allow you to spend more time with him. It's the least you can do in return for him keeping your family in the dark while you're here saving the world." she said teasingly.

Kagome stretched her sore muscles as she nodded. "I'll think about it."

"You need to take a break Kagome. Your time is safe now that you are the only one that can use the well's powers." Sango saw the expression forming on her friends face and quickly elaborated. "I'm not saying let your guard down I'm saying to enjoy something in life right now. It may be the last good memory you have if things go wrong during the final battle..."

Kagome softly knocked on her step brother's door, glancing down the hallway to make sure her father hadn't left the living room. She didn't want to encounter him and be forced to talk to him. It'd been weeks since she exploded on him and with Kurama always making excuses that she was either studying or staying at a friend's house, she hadn't seen him since. And she preferred it stay that way. She ran into her step mother when she arrived home, smiled at her briefly before going to take a nap. After Sango's intense training, she needed to rejuvenate before seeking out her step sibling. The door cracked open and the miko smiled softly to the boy as he swung the door open in excitement.

"Feels like I haven't seen you for weeks!" Kokoda pouted.

Kagome pulled the boy into a hug before wrapping her fingers around his forearm and dragging him toward the door. Once they were outside, she released him and began making her way toward the street. "I know, I'm sorry. That's why I'm going to make it up to you and spend the day with you. Anywhere you want to go."

The boy hurried to catch up to her. "Anywhere?"

She nodded. "Anywhere. So where to first?"

Her step brother rattled off a list of things he wanted to do and she nodded. Glancing back toward their home, she saw that Kurama's bedroom light was still off. Either he wasn't home anymore or he was still sleeping. He probably didn't know she returned yet because he was already asleep when she arrived. Shrugging her shoulders, she turned her attention back to Kokoda. Draping her arm over her little brother's shoulders, she led the way to the first destination on their long list.

A/N:

Wow I'm on a roll today! Hows everyone enjoying it so far? R&R please

*~Icyfire~*


	14. Journals

Light within the Darkness

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Yu YuHakusho… though a girl can dream can't she?

Chapter Fourteen:

Kagome laughed as Kokoda raced to catch the baseball she threw. Their last destination on the boy's list was the park. Apparently her father hadn't only neglected her as a child but his son in law as well. The boy never played catch before and it'd been one of the things he wanted to do since he was little. So after they grabbed a late lunch, Kagome took him to the nearest sports store and bought them a pair of mitts. She guessed it was a boy thing, to feel the desire to throw a ball back and forth but she didn't complain. Spending time with him is what she wanted, and if that meant throw a ball around then so be it. After window shopping for bicycles that he wanted for his birthday, scoping out the local self defense schools, spending hours in the downtown arcade, and pranking a bully at his school, Kagome was happy to relax in the park. Sensing the ball coming her way again, she glanced up and catch it effortlessly. Reeling back, she launched it back to her step brother.

Jumping to catch it, he turned his gaze to the miko. "How do you throw it so hard? I can barely get the call to you from this distance."

She shrugged, only now realizing that she'd been slowly pushing the boy further across the park with each throw. He was easily half a football field away now. "Guess I'm stronger than I look."

He scoffed. "You're tellin me… I still remember when you punched that guy when he shoved me. I want to be strong like you Kagome."

She smiled, shoving back her memories of Souta. Kokoda was very much like him… she was sure they would've been close friends if her brother was still alive. "Strength doesn't matter Kokoda. It's what you're fighting for that does. Everything I do is to protect the ones I love. I'll punch every boy in the city if it means keeping you and my family safe."

"Even dad?"

Kagome hesitated for a moment before throwing the ball. "Yes, even father. He may not be my favorite person in the world but he's still family… still my father."

Kokoda smiled softly. "You have a kind heart Kagome. I hope one day you and dad can make peace. I know what he did to you was horrible… but he's changed. He's not the same man that left you all those years ago. And he regrets leaving. Bet you didn't know he has a picture of you and Souta when you were little in his wallet. He's had it for as long as I can remember."

She remained silent as she caught the ball and tossed it back. She knew her father had changed since she last saw him. He wasn't father of the year but definitely an improvement of his past self. But the grudge she held toward him still held her in an iron grip. It would take her time… a lot of time to forgive him but eventually she would. "One day Kokoda. Not anytime soon but I can promise you that one day I will forgive him."

He nodded, seeming to be happy with her answer. "Thank you. So, you gunna show me how to throw this ball as hard as you do?"

"A girl is not the best person to be showing you how to throw a ball."

Kagome concealed her amusement with a glare as she turned to their intruder. "Oh and you would be a better teacher?" she retorted. Crossing her arms over her chest, she watched Yusuke make his way toward them with Kuwabara in tow.

"Much better. Do you even know how to throw?" he mocked playfully.

The miko snorted and launched the ball at Yusuke unexpectedly. She heard Kokoda's gasp of shock when the detective caught it effortlessly.

"Did you see that Kagome?! He caught it _without_ a mitt!"

Kagome rolled her eyes and muttered 'show off' as she followed her step brother toward Yusuke and Kuwabara. "What are you even doing here? Stalking me again?"

He winked toward her. "I read in a book once that a guy followed a beautiful chick for months and eventually she fell head over heels for him."

She snorted, holding back her blush. "You can read?"

He shrugged. "It was required for one of my classes.

"You do homework?" she mocked.

Yusuke tossed the ball back to her, not impressed when she easily caught it. "When I have to. So you two just been playing ball all day?"

"Kagome took me all over the city this morning. I haven't seen her in a while so she wanted us to spend time together." Kokoda explained with a smile.

He nodded as he turned his gaze to the miko. "Shuuichi know you're here?"

She shrugged. "I don't need to tell him everywhere I go."

"It's getting late, maybe you two should start heading home."

The miko shook her head. "We're still going to stop for dinner."

"Then we'll go with you." Yusuke stated.

"No one invited you." Kagome snapped.

"It's dangerous around town at night, you two shouldn't be alone." Kuwabara piped up, his worry evident in his voice.

"We're just worried about you Kagome." Yusuke murmured, his tough exterior melting away slightly to show his genuine concern.

"No one needs to worry over me. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself and my step brother. Now if you don't mind, we'll be leaving now." She growled before stomping away.

Yusuke's gaze followed the fuming miko and he shook his head. "Nice work Kuwabara." He muttered.

"What did I do?! I'm just as worried about her as you are!"

"Nothing, nevermind." He grumbled.

"If you're trying to win my sister's heart, you're going about it all wrong." Kokoda laughed.

"What would you know kid?" Kuwabara snorted.

"I know that Yusuke likes my step sister... a lot. If you haven't noticed, she's pretty stubborn. So you kinda need a more drastic approach." He suggested.

"Meaning?"

"Kiss her. She's either going to kill you for it or it'll break the ice. But if you keep this up, nothing will ever change."

Kagome aimlessly stared at the ceiling of her bedroom. Her mind was running a mile a minute, not focusing on one particular thing at once but everything that plagued her life. After the long eventful day she spent with Kokoda, she hoped she could sleep peacefully that night but it eluded her. She wondered what her friends in the past were doing, if they were training or setting up more traps. If they were in trouble… but if they were Koenma would've informed her immediately. She thought about the final battle, what the outcome would be and how many more lives could possibly lost. She contemplated the jewel and the complete chaos that followed the artifact. Her mind jumped to how much fun she had with her step brother and she wondered if she would survive the final battle. Her thoughts eventually led to Yusuke.

Groaning in frustration, she rolled over to bury her face in her pillow. No matter how hard she tried to remain detached, something about him kept reeling her in. She knew it was his personality she was drawn to but she wasn't sure why she was having so much trouble resisting him. She'd been excited when he showed up at the park but she couldn't show it. Yusuke couldn't know how much she actually liked him because it would just make keeping him away that much harder. She would rather he thought she despised him rather than knew she was attracted to him. She wanted desperately to be able to pursue a relationship with the detective, if that's what he was interested in, but with her mission and the possible outcome of it… she couldn't risk anyone else getting hurt. It was bad enough that her family in the feudal era was going to fight beside her and may lose their lives. She refused to put anyone else in danger. For Yusuke's safety, she pushed him away. If he, or any of her new friends and family in this time, were harmed she knew it'd tear her apart.

Pushing Yusuke away was the best she could do for him. The only way to keep him safe from the curse of the jewel. And although it destroyed her every time she saw the hurt in his eyes from her comments or actions, she needed to stand strong. That afternoon when he and Kuwabara had stumbled across them, she forced herself to act hostile. Her heart broke a little as she watched him shrink emotionally under her piercing gaze and harsh words. She told herself that it was for his own good. That she was saving his life but every time she saw him again and witnessed an equal amount of excitement in his eyes that were in hers, she wondered if what she was doing _was_ right. Memories of her families' bodies littering the house she'd grown up in would come to the forefront of her mind then and erase any doubts she had.

A soft knock at her door pulled her from her thoughts and she rolled off her bed. Cracking the door open, she sighed in slight relief when she saw Kurama on the other side. Opening it fully to allow him inside, she closed it behind him. The avatar moved to sit comfortably on her bed before focusing his gaze on her. "When did you return?"

"Last night. You were already asleep when I arrived."

He nodded. "I thought I sensed your presence. Kokoda told me you spent the day with him."

"I felt I owned it to him. I haven't spent time with him at all lately."

"Well you definitely made him happy. I have something for you." He smiled as he reached into his pocket and revealed a small journal. He handed it to the miko and she stared at it curiously, examining the faint aura radiating from it.

"This aura… it's the same as the Goshiboku. What is this?"

"The pages of the journal are made from wood of the Sacred Tree of Ages. Since the pages of that book are made from the same tree as this one," he said as he pulled an identical journal from his other pocket. "They are connected to one another. Whatever is written in one appears in the other, no matter what time period each book is located."

Kagome smiled, impressed with her step brother's work. "You sure it will work?"

He shrugged. "We won't know for sure until we test it. I figured that since the well was made with wood from the Goshiboku and it was magically connected to the well in the feudal era, the same concept could be used with these journals."

"It's a great theory. It'll be nice to communicate with you while I'm there. So you can stop worrying so much." She teased.

"Can you blame me? That era is very dangerous and Naraku is plotting your demise as we speak." He muttered.

The miko stood and made her way to her closet. Pulling her yellow traveling bag from its depths, she stuffed the journal into the pack before returning the bag to the closet. "It will all be over soon. We have everything ready, we're just waiting for him to make a move."

"Is that why you're still here? Why you spent the day with Kokoda? The final battle is approaching and you're afraid you may not survive… may not see him again."

She stomped back to her bed and plopped down beside him. "Anything could happen during this fight. I didn't want to stay in this time for too long but Sango convinced me otherwise. Told me to spend time with the people I care about here because I may not see them again. I didn't want to slack in my training but I do need to spend time with Kokoda… with you. So for the next few days, I won't be going to the feudal era."

He nodded, deciding not to push the subject any further after seeing how much stress the situation caused her. "Well you don't exactly need to slack in your training. I'd be happy to help."

She smiled toward him. "Thank you, I'll need it. Though I also need to spar. My close quarters combat is lacking… Sango has been training me to use her weapons and it's made me realized how much work I need."

"I'm not the greatest with close quarters… I usually use my Rose Whip during battle or my other plants. If you'd like to spruce up on hand to hand, you should consider asking Yusuke." He suggested, watching her reaction from the corner of his eye.

She immediately shook her head. "I don't need his help."

"Genkai trained Yusuke well; he is by far the most skilled fighter I've ever met."

She hesitated before shaking her head once more. "I can ask Hiei."

"Yusuke can beat even Hiei when it comes to close quarters."

"Why are you trying to push me toward Yusuke?" She turned a suspicious glare toward him.

"Why are you so against asking him for help?" he countered, unaffected by her death stare.

"It's bad enough that you know so much to do with the jewel, he doesn't need to get wrapped up in this too."

He sighed. "Kagome, this time is safe now. Naraku cannot harm anyone here. Koenma and I made sure there was no way for him to return. The last threat he posed here were those demons he planted with shards. They are all disposed of now and he has no power here. Yusuke is completely capable of taking care of himself. He could probably defeat Naraku if he could travel to the feudal era."

"I don't care how powerful he is, no one is safe from Naraku and the Shikon. Disaster befalls all who are involved with the jewel; I will not allow him to be involved."

"There's more to it than that, more that you're afraid of. What is it that has you so scared to allow him anywhere near you? He cares for you Kagome, more than you think. He worries for you just as much as I do and I see the hurt in his eyes whenever you push him away."

"I don't want to lose anyone else I care about alright!? If I allow him to embrace his feelings for me… allow his feelings for me to fester, he will suffer if I do not survive the battle against Naraku. I don't want any more people to mourn over me if I don't survive. He's better off finding happiness with someone else because I cannot promise happiness…. I cannot promise anything, not with my duty to this cursed jewel. I am not selfish enough to ensnarl Yusuke because in the end, I may cause more harm than good." She murmured, tears threatening to fall.

Kurama sighed and pulled his step sister into his arms, hugging her fiercely. "Some things… people are worth the risk Kagome. He knows the danger that looms over you yet he still tries to gain your attention. No matter how hard you try to push him away, he will continue to pursue you. I know you feel for him as well, I can see it in your eyes whenever you look at him. He may not see it but I do. You're feelings for him is why you're so determined to keep him away. But he is strong Kagome, he can handle it. He can handle you. Give him a chance… give _yourself_ a chance at happiness. In the end, his love will only motivate you to fight harder."

She let out a long breath, trying to control her tidal wave of emotions. She cared for Yusuke more than she cared to admit. So much that she'd convinced herself it was better for him if she distanced herself but she never thought it would hurt so much. That maybe pushing him away was hurting him more than letting him in. Perhaps Kurama was right… maybe she should give Yusuke a chance. God knows she deserved a little bit of happiness after everything she's been through. But her fear for his safety still made her hesitate.

"Don't let your fear hold you back Kagome. Give this a chance."

The miko laughed softly, pulling away from her step brother. Apparently he'd grown to know her far better than she thought. She took a deep breath to steady her thoughts before slowly nodding her head. "Alright."

"You'll give it a try?"

"I'll ask him to spar with me." She muttered.

He rolled his eyes but smiled. "Taking it slow is probably a good thing."

"What, you thought I was just going to jump in with my eyes closed?"

He shrugged. "I was actually surprised you agreed to try at all."

She laughed, wiping at her watery eyes. "Your motivational speech was inspiring."

He smiled softly as he stood. "Thank you. I'll let you sleep now, Kokoda might be waking you quite early to have breakfast with him." He said before making his way to the door. The miko bid him a good night and he shut the door behind him. Kagome sighed heavily and collapsed against her mattress. Grabbing her pillow, she hugged it to her chest and buried her face into the sheet. Forcing her mind to switch to sleep mode, she decided to think further on everything after a good nights rest.

Kagome sighed as she followed her step brother toward their school. After a relaxing weekend and actually being able to sleep in a bed, the miko felt going to classes was ruining her miniature vacation from her duties to the past. Unfortunately, Kurama refused to let her stay home, insisting that she would set a bad example for Kokoda if she skipped classes just because she felt lazy. She couldn't argue his logic so grudgingly woke the next morning and prepared for school. Letting out a yawn, she stuck her tongue out at the avatar when he slowed his pace only to pin her with an exasperated look.

"It's not even a test day… do I have to go? Kokoda should have left for his classes by now, he won't even know I ditched." She whined.

He snorted. "Now you're starting to sound like Yusuke."

She rolled her eyes. "Please. Yusuke would skip every day if he could."

"You say that like it's a bad thing. If you wanna ditch, I'll gladly kidnap you for a day." At hearing the detective's cocky comment, Kagome turned to look behind her only to see Yusuke had just joined them. He fell into step beside the miko and winked toward her before nodding to his comrade. "You actually got her to come to school huh?"

The avatar shrugged. "She's taking a short break from her mission."

"Miss me so much you decided to stick around here for a bit?" Yusuke smirked toward her, not missing the barely visible blush that touched her cheeks.

"Miss you? You're clearly delusional." She snorted.

"Nope cause in my delusions, you do a lot more than _miss_ me."

Kagome scowled. Quickening her pace so she could catch up to Kurama, she purposely avoided eye contact with the detective. Glaring ahead of her, the miko tried to ignore the chuckle behind her. He knew she was attracted to him. He was acting different, more confident than usual. She turned her glare toward her step brother and quickly realized he was avoiding her gaze. That sneaky kitsune… he'd told Yusuke she liked him. "Traitor." She muttered under her breath, knowing he would hear her.

"Yusuke, Kagome wanted to ask you something." Kurama piped up, smiling innocently.

She glowered at him. "Not anymore."

"What'd you want to ask?" Yusuke questioned, trying not to laugh at the conflict that was clearly sparking between the siblings. Kagome was stubborn, that was for sure. But he was far more thick headed. Kurama told him she was scared of him getting hurt if he became involved with her. He just needed to show her he could not only take care of himself, but her as well.

"Nothing." She snapped as they approached the front gates of their school.

"She wanted to ask if you would spar with her." Kurama said, smiling when the miko turned a deadly glare his way.

"I don't need to spar with _him._ " She muttered through ground teeth.

"What, you scared?" Yusuke teased, quickly gaining her attention.

"Of you?" she snorted. "You're nothing compared to what I've faced on my mission."

He shrugged. "Then spar with me. If you're not afraid of losing, you'll meet me at Genkai's after school." Climbing the stairs and entering the building, Yusuke threw a wink her way once more before disappearing down the hall.

Kagome turned to unleash her anger on her step brother only to see him gone as well. Growling in frustration, she stomped toward her first class. That conniving kitsune set her up. The minute she started to back out of their agreement, he took matters into his own hands. He knew exactly how Yusuke would react and how she wouldn't be able to turn down the challenge. Entering her class, she plopped down in her chair and laid her head on her desk with a groan. Now she had to spar with Yusuke… she couldn't back out of a challenge like that. She knew she could defeat him; he lived in a time where demons and humans lived separately.

The feudal era was far more dangerous than this time, there was no way he was more experienced in fighting than she was. Sure he was a spirit detective and battled demons that crossed into the realm but he didn't fight on a daily basis. She did. With that thought in mind, she decided she just needed to defeat him quickly. The faster the better because once he was down for the count, she could get out of the mess Kurama shoved her into. She couldn't blame her step brother for his actions. He was just trying to make her happy. But her happiness wasn't worth Yusuke's life. Maybe when the jewel was complete and Naraku was dead, she could open up to the detective… if she survived the battle.

Kagome pulled her sweat shirt over her head and threw it to the side as she glared at the detective.

"Just giving you a heads up, I'm not gunna go easy on you just cause you're a chick." Yusuke smirked toward her. He could practically taste her agitation growing by the second.

"Good. I won't feel as bad for not holding back on you either then." She snapped before attacking. She was agile. More so than he anticipated but although she had speed to her advantage, Yusuke knew she couldn't beat him. Genkai and Hiei had nearly trained him to his breaking point over the past several years. After training himself to see and counter Hiei's speed, the miko's quick attacks were a cake walk. He admitted that she fought much differently than the hybrid, using techniques and attack stances he'd never seen before. Recalling that Kurama told him she was being trained by her friends in the past, he guessed that the style of which she used was ancient and long forgotten in this time.

For several minutes, Yusuke settled for just blocking her attacks. She hadn't been joking when she said she wasn't going to hold back. Her strikes were fast and accurate; if he faltered in his defenses she'd easily land a hit. He immediately noticed when she changed up her strategy but wasn't fast enough to retaliate. Before he knew it, the miko swept his feet from under him and he was on his back. Refusing to let her win, he scrambled for a counter strike. Reaching for her ankle, he pushed her off balance. She toppled over before she could catch herself and her back collided with his chest. Quickly reaching up, he locked her arms and brought his legs up to secure her lower body. She fought his hold until she realized she was trapped. With his legs wrapped around her thighs and her arms secured against her sides, the miko couldn't escape.

Yusuke tried to keep him mind on the fight as she continued to resist his hold, her backside sliding up and down his torso as she attempted to wiggle her way out. With the top of her head just below his chin, he could clearly smell her fresh lily scent. "Just give it up." He groaned.

She fought harder, her back muscles flexing as she tried to sit up and get her arms free. "Let go of me you jerk." She snarled.

He shook his head. "Naw, I'm pretty comfortable actually." He said, holding back his laughter when he felt her anger blast off into space.

"I'm going to kill you when I get my hands on you." She snapped, still fighting him.

"You can't threaten me with a good time Kagome." He mocked, trying to stay in control of his lust. His attention faltered for just a moment and the miko was able to get her right arm free of his hold. Moving quickly, he rolled to the side before she could escape. Allowing his weight to hold her against the ground, he pinned her arms at her sides once more before relocating most of his weight to his arms. He smirked down at her. "I can't decide if I like this position better or the other one."

"Get off of me!" she fumed, glaring up at him. "Let go of me you stubborn, nosey, perverted, jer-"

Yusuke pressed his lips against hers firmly, effectively shutting her up. He was slightly surprised when she suddenly relaxed against him, her muscles that were once tense slowly molded to fit against him almost perfectly. He found himself further surprised when she began to return his kiss, parting her lips slightly in invitation. He pressed his body firmly against hers as he traced her lips with his tongue. Suddenly the detective found himself flying through the air before landing heavily on his back with a grunt. Working to catch the breath that was knocked out of him, he glanced toward the miko that was now standing with a smug expression on her face.

"I win."

Yusuke snorted. "If that's your way of beating me, I'll let you win every time babe. We should start sparing on a daily basis." He teased as he sat up.

"You're a pig." She scowled in an effort to cover the blush that was burning her cheeks. Yusuke noticed despite her efforts.

"You liked it." He smirked. "If you come over here, we can pick up right where we left off."

She scoffed as she turned her back to him and began making her way toward the temple steps. "In your dreams."

"If only you knew." He muttered, catching her falter for a moment before quickening her pace. Clearly she'd heard him. "Whenever you want to _spar_ again, you know where to find me." He called to her, a smirk playing across his lips once more. His mind replayed every detail of the last few minutes. Reminded him of every curve… the feel of her lips… her soft skin. As he watched her quickly retreat the property, he shook his head. She was perfect… and he would have her, no matter what he needed to do to accomplish that.

A/N:

So many chapters in one day... Its like Christmas lol!

~*Icyfire*~


	15. Let Love In

Light within the Darkness

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Yu YuHakusho… though a girl can dream can't she?

Chapter Fifteen: Let Love In

Kagome buried her face into her pillow and groaned obnoxiously. No matter what she did, her mind kept venturing back to the sparring match she had with Yusuke several hours ago. His soft lips... the gentle yet desperate way he kissed her as if he'd been stranded in a desert and she was the first sip of water he had in days. His firm body that fit almost perfectly against hers... Groaning again, she rolled over onto her back and stared at the ceiling. Her pent up feelings for the detective were desperately fighting to escape the cage she'd locked them in. Why did he have to kiss her?! And make her realize just how much she desired him. She may have been able to walk away but she knew Yusuke saw right into her heart. Now he knew she liked him.

Sure she could say she kissed him back just to get the upper hand and win their match but then how would she explain not killing him for kissing her in the first place? There was no doubt in her mind that the overconfident detective would now be more courageous. And she didn't know how much longer she could resist him. How much longer she could keep him at arms length and not embrace the affection he clearly wanted to give her.

Sighing heavily, she glanced at the clock on her nightstand. It was a little past midnight so everyone was probably asleep. She planned to leave for school early again tomorrow to avoid Kurama and hopefully Yusuke. She knew her step brother would ask her how their sparring match went. Pulling her blanket up to her chin, she forced herself to sleep and just hoped Yusuke wouldn't haunt her dreams as he did her conscious thoughts.

Kurama yawned as he made his way toward school. Kagome left without him yet again, probably to get her morning coffee. He'd hoped to walk with her that morning and ask her how her sparring match with Yusuke panned out. Hearing footsteps behind him, he turned and nodded toward said detective as he fell into step beside him. The dark haired boy had impecable timing.

"Kagome leave without you again?" he asked, an unusually large grin on his face.

"It would seem so. What has you in such a mood?" the avatar asked curiously.

He shrugged. "I think you were right about her liking me."

"Did something happen yesterday during sparring? I meant to ask her but I've yet to see her since after school yesterday."

"Your little brother told me a few days ago that I was going about things all wrong. The kid told me to make a move on her. I figured why not give it a try and I kissed h-"

"You kissed Kagome?!" Kurama lost his footing for a moment as his gaze whipped toward his comrade in shock.

The detective smirked. "Yea... and I think she liked it."

"What do you mean you think?"

"She didn't kill me." He laughed. "And she kissed me back. She'll probably say she only did so she could win our match but I could tell she got into it. I saw her blush for the first time."

Kurama was speechless. Kagome blushed? Although he'd gotten much closer to her over the past few weeks there was still a lot he hadn't seen from his sister. She often smiled but it never reached her eyes. Except when she was with Kokoda. He figured she felt more open with the boy because he reminded her of her little brother. Kokoda even told him he'd gotten her to laugh. The miko didn't show much emotion around them aside from worry and anger so the thought of her laughing or blushing was a surprise. With the pressure of the upcoming battle and still mourning over her lost family, Kurama didn't expect the miko to be a pocket full of sunshine. But here was one of his best friends telling him he'd gotten his step sister to blush.

He wanted Kagome to spend more time with Yusuke because he knew the detective was just what she needed. The anchor that could keep her from drifting away and clearly Kokoda saw that as well. He'd have to remember to praise his brother later for his suggestion to Yusuke. "So what now?"

"She's mine. Now that I know she has the hots for me theres no way I'm going to let her slip through my fingers."

"It won't be easy Yusuke. She still thinks she's keeping us safe by pushing us away. You'll have to slowly chip at her defenses... show her that her fears are merely fears." the avatar muttered. He wanted the miko to have something more to fight for. Something she knew she could come back to. If things took a turn for the worst during the final battle and her friends became casualties, he didn't want her to just give up. Especially now that Naraku killed her family... he wanted her to have something worth living for. "That reminds me..." Kurama murmured as he reached into his bag and pulled out a small notebook. He handed it to his comrade with a smile.

"Is this what I think it is?"

"We won't know for sure if it works until she goes back and uses it. I have one as well so whatever is written in one will appear in the other two journals."

"Danm so no dirty talking."

The red head rolled his eyes. "I'd appreciate that..."

The detective chuckled as he made his way toward his first class. "Might miss you after classes, I'm going to try catching her before she can run off."

Classes seemed to have dragged all day. Without much sleep the night before, Kagome was yawning on her way out of the building. Even her morning coffee wasn't enough to get her through the day. With Yusuke on her mind and wondering what her friends in the past were doing, she barley slept. She sighed heavily as she thought of the long walk home. She always took a long detour through town so she'd arrive home several hours late to avoid seeing her father before he left for work. She felt torn between just going straight home and praying she was lucky enough to sneak past him or stopping at the park down the street to take a short nap under a tree. Her thoughts were interupted when an arm gently wrapped around her waist. Glancing up, she felt relief flood through her as Yusuke grinned.

"Is that a smile I see? If I weren't mistaken, I'd say you missed me."

The miko rolled her eyes. "You're delusional." she snorted, not bothering to remove his arm from around her. Yusuke was surprised she wasn't distancing herself from him until he noticed her heavy footfalls.

"You seem pretty drained..." he muttered, easily seeing how tired she was.

"Barely slept and can't go home yet."

Kurama told him about Kagome's quarrel with her father and knew the miko didn't go home immediately after school so she could avoid seeing the man before he left for work. He and Kuwabara followed her several times after school to see what she did and where she went but most of the time she aimlessly traveled through the city to kill time. Clearly she was far too exhausted to traverse town today. Making a split second decision, Yusuke led the miko away from her home.

"Where are we going." she yawned, turning to look in the direction her home was. "You know my house is that way."

He rolled his eyes. "Thanks Sherlock. Not like I've known where Kurama lived for the past few years or anything."

She turned a glare toward him. "Smart ass. Let me rephrase; why are we going toward your house."

"Because you're going to take a nap until your dad leaves for work."

Kagome stopped in her tracks, effectively causing the detective to lose his hold on her. "Nice try but I'm not that stupid."

Yusuke crossed his arms over his chest as he turned toward her. "If you think I'd take advantage of you while you're sleeping, you don't know me at all. I'd much rather you be awake and participating." he smirked.

Her glare intensified. "How do you know I'm waiting for my father to go to work?"

"Kurama told me the situation when Kuwabara and I followed you around town a few days after school."

"I wonder what else my dear step brother told you." she scowled.

"Nothing I don't already know. Now come on. Doesn't it sound more appealing to take a nap than to wander aimlessly through town for the next few hours? I promise to behave myself." he grinned.

The miko weighed her options. Sleep in the comfort of Yusuke's home, where she could surround herself in his intoxicating scent or drag her tired body through town and nap on a bench somewhere. Deep in her mind, there was a voice telling her it wasn't a good idea to go with the detective but her tired body and her heart that craved to be close to him drowned out her indecision. Sighing heavily, she secured her backpack before continuing toward Yusuke's home without waiting for him to follow. "I'll kill you if you try anything Yusuke."

He smirked and moved to walk beside her. "I already told you, that's not my style. I want you to participate, kind of like our kiss yesterday."

The miko held back her blush as she picked up her pace, despite her tired body. "I only did that to win the match."

He chuckled softly. "Knew you'd say that."

Deciding to ignore him, she continued toward his home. She jumped slightly when he took her bag from her but mummbled a 'thank you'. She knew the detective was a pervert but she could tell from the first time she met him that deep down he could be a sweetheart. Which is what scared her the most. She knew it would be hard to keep from falling for him, if she hadn't already. And now she was going to his house... and would leave herself vulnerable while she slept. Shaking her head, she spotted his home in the distance and knew it was too late to back out now. He opened the door for her and led her to the living room.

"You can sleep wherever you want. Though if you sleep in my bed I can't promise I won't join you." he winked.

The miko rolled her eyes and glanced toward the couch before focusing her gaze on him once more. "What will you do while I'm sleeping?"

He shrugged. "Probably play video games."

She nodded and took a seat on the couch. "I'll sleep here then."

"You'll be able to sleep while I'm playing?"

"I used to fall asleep to my little brother playing Call of Duty all the time. It's... soothing." she murmured.

He laughed softly as he disappeared down the hallway.

"What's so funny?" she called to him.

"You're like the girl of my dreams." she heard him rely and did her best to conceal her blush. He returned to the living room with a bundle of clothes in his hands. "Here, the bathroom is the first door on the right."

"What is this?" she asked curiously as she unrolled a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt.

"Something for you to sleep in. Figured you wouldn't want to sleep in your uniform."

Nodding slightly, she made her way to the bathroom and changed. Stuffing her uniform into her backpack when she returned to the living room, she sat beside the detective as he booted up his Xbox. Yusuke reached behind the couch for a blanket and handed it to her. "Let me know if the volume is too high."

"It won't bother me. I'm going to watch for a bit if that's alright with you." she murmured.

"Whatever you want babe." he answered, grinning when he felt her glare. "You like it, stop giving me that death stare."

She snorted. "You don't know what I do and don't like."

"I know you like me. And I know you're damn sexy in my clothes." he stated as the game started. He was so preoccupied watching Kagome's reaction from the corner of his eyes that he was killed almost instantly.

"You should pay more attention to the game Yusuke." she muttered. "You suck enough as it is."

A smile tugged at his lips but he remained silent. She wasn't running away yet so that was good news. Deciding to leave her be, he focused on the game. Sometime during the first match she began falling asleep and eventually rested her head on his shoulder. Once the round was over, he gently rearranged her so her head was in his lap. He secured the blanket around her as he watched her sleep. She looked so peaceful, not a trace of sorrow or stress on her face. He softly ran his fingers through her silky hair and was surprised when she turned over onto her back so she could cuddle her cheek against his stomach.

The quiet beeping of his communicator broke the moment and he reached into his bag he'd placed at his feet. Opening the device, he wasn't surprised to see Kurama on the screen. "Hey fox boy, what's up?" he whispered.

"Do you know if Kagome is in town? Hiei usually follows her after school when you and Kuwabara aren't tailing her but he said she didn't go her typical route."

"She's fine. She's taking a nap until your dad leaves for work." he explained quietly before turning the screen so the avatar could see his step sister fast asleep in his lap. He nearly laughed at the wide eyed expression that took over the usually calm fox.

"How did you possibly manage to convince her to go home with you?" he finally asked.

The detective shrugged. "She was really tired. I'm sure she'll be back to her grumpy self when she wakes up. I'll call you when she's up." he said before shutting the device. Turning his attention back to his game, he prepared for the next round. The miko would probably nap for a few hours then he'd walk her home. And he planned to play until she woke.

Kagome couldn't remember the last time she woke so comfortably. So warm and secure. She had no idea how long she'd slept, all she remembered was falling asleep to Yusuke playing a video game. Slowly opening her eyes, she saw the television was still on, a random action movie playing. She felt something tighten around her waist and glanced behind her to see Yusuke fast asleep. His face was buried in her hair and his arms were wrapped around her midsection. He looked so comfortable the miko couldn't bring herself to wake him. Turning in his arms, she snuggled closer to him and closed her eyes. It wouldn't hurt to sleep a bit longer. She was sure she'd wake when he did.

Yusuke woke several hours later to find Kagome still wrapped in his arms. The excitement and joy he felt at the sight of her still beside him was surprising. He knew he'd fallen in love with the miko but he never imagined they'd be in his house, napping together on his couch. Sure he was able to kiss her the previous day and convinced her to nap at his house but he didn't think she'd sleep so soundly. Nor did he think she'd cuddle with him. Although he wished they could stay curled up all night, he knew she needed to go home. He was sure Kurama was pacing in his room waiting for her. Sitting up slowly, he gently shook the miko until she woke.

Kagome stretched and yawned before slowly opening her eyes and focusing her gaze on Yusuke. The look in his eyes melted her heart and she couldn't stop herself from blushing. His hair was messy from his nap and he had a smug smile on his face. Her eyes narrowed playfully as she sat up. "What are you smiling about."

He shrugged. "I just took the best nap of my life with the beautiful girl of my dreams."

Her blush darkened and she stood from the couch. "I should go home." she muttered as she grabbed her bag. Glancing down at her attire, she turned her gaze toward the detective. "I'll wash your clothes and give them back to you tomorrow."

He shook his head. "Keep em. I'll walk you home." he stated as he stretched and stood as well.

Leading her out the door, he carried her bag for their short trip to her house until they reached the front lawn. Kagome took her bag and slowly made her way toward the door. Before reaching for the door knob, she turned to him with a small smile. "Thank you Yusuke... Goodnigt." she murmured before disappearing into the house.

A smile found its way across Yusuke's lips as he turned to head home. "Goodnight my Kagome."

Kagome sighed heavily and leaned against the door once she was inside. Taking a deep breath, she locked the door and made her way toward her room. She wasn't surprised to find Kurama leaning against her doorframe by the time she cleared the stairs. Brushing past him, she threw her bag in the closet before collapsing onto her bed. "Come in and close the door please."

Her step brother did as she asked and sat on her bed beside her quietly.

"I don't know what to do Kurama... I like him... a lot. It's getting harder to push him away. But I don't want to lose anyone else. I don't want to lose you... If I let myself fall in love with Yusuke that's just another piece of my heart that will shatter if something happens to him." she murmured, tears burning her eyes.

Kurama sighed and pulled the miko into a tight hug. "Kagome you're worrying too much. Yusuke and I are more than capable of taking care of ourselves. Naraku cannot reach this time anymore. Who cares about what rumors follow the Shikon. You want to live the rest of your life in fear? You have to take risks Kagome. Let Yusuke and I show you that we can help. Let us lighten your burdens. He loves you Kagome, as do I and Kokoda. I know you are afraid of losing more people that you love but you cannot allow the jewel to make you fearful of finding new happiness."

"But what if I don't survive the battle? I don't want you and Yusuke t o mourn over me... I know the pain of losing someone you love and I don't want to put you two through that..."

Kurama sighed as he rested his cheek on her head. "We will already mourn if we lose you Kagome. No matter how much you tried pushing us away, you still found a way into our hearts. So fight. Don't give up. I know you and your friends will defeat Naraku. You just have to fight with everything you have so you can return to the ones that love you."

The miko broke down into tears, shaking with the intensity of her pent up sorrow. She let it all out. Her sadness over her lost family, her fears of losing more people she loved, her fears of opening herself to new love. And Kurama stand quietly and held her. It wasn't long before she cried herself to sleep. He gently settled his step sister under her covers and turned off her lights before returning to his bedroom. That was the first time she'd opened herself up to him so much. Sure he heard her crying in her room once every few nights but he'd never seen her shed a single tear around anyone else. She even admitted her feelings for Yusuke. He wasn't sure what happened while she was at his house but it seemed to have opened her eyes to the people that care for her in this time. He just hoped she'd begin giving them a chance to get closer to her. Crawling into his own bed, he decided there was nothing more he could do since she was already asleep. He planned to ask Yusuke tomorrow on their way to school what exactly happened to cause his step sister to open up as much as she did.

He woke the next morning and took his time getting ready for school. He was sure Kagome already left for her coffee so that left him with the time he needed to interrogate Yusuke on the happenings of the previous night. Making his way downstairs, he was surprised to see Kagome sitting at the table eating breakfast with Kokoda. His mother smiled toward him as she put a plate at the open chair beside Kagome.

"Good morning sweetheart, come have breakfast." his mother said, dumping several pancakes on his plate. He sat in his seat and turned his curious gaze to Kagome.

"She said she wanted to walk with you today." Kokoda grinned.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "I figured I'd have breakfast for once. Although I'll miss my coffee."

"It's so nice to have all of you together for once." Shiori smiled as she began cleaning the kitchen.

He nodded his agreement, though was still surprised his step sister was sitting beside him. Although he knew she didn't dislike his mother, he knew she did her best to avoid contact with her as well as father. And she waited for him so they could walk together. She was definitely different this morning. "Are you alright?" he asked slowly.

She nodded as she finished her breakfast and stood. "I'm going to finish getting ready. I'll wait for you outside." she said around a mouthful of pancakes before dropping her dishes in the sink and thanking his mother for breakfast. She disappeared up the stairs and Kurama sat there dumbfounded. She was acting like a completely different person...

"I don't know whats going on but she definitely seems happier. And I know she's not faking it." Kokoda mummbled.

"What makes you say that?"

"When she woke me up this morning, she smiled. Actually smiled. It's almost like she's starting to open up to us more or she's moving on from mourning over her family..."

Kurama shrugged as he finished his breakfast and hurried to his room. He wasn't sure what caused the change but he hoped it wasn't temporary or a facade. Dressing quickly, he met the miko outside and they began toward school. Their journey was silent and Kurama didn't know what to say for once. After her breakdown the night before, he wasn't sure how to approach her. As if on cue, Yusuke caught up with them and fell into step beside the miko. He was surprised when the detective put his arm around her waist and presented a cup of coffee to her.

Kagome took the coffee and turned to him in question. Taking a sip, her eyes narrowed. "How did you know?"

"You bring the same coffee from the same place every morning. It was easy to see where you bought it from. And the clerk remembers your order, so I just asked for her to make me your usual." he grinned as he removed his arm from her waist and shoved his hands in his pockets.

The miko blushed slightly and murmured a 'thank you' as she continued to sip her coffee. "Kurama, do you think you could ask Koenma how my friends are doing after school? I want to make sure they're alright since I'm not due to return until this weekend."

He nodded. "Of course."

"We can spar after classes again if you want." Yusuke suggested, winking toward her.

She rolled her eyes. "I'll pass. I was actually going to ask Hiei to spar with me today."

A pout formed on the detectives face. "Why Hiei?"

"I need to train with a demon of his speed. I need to sharpen my senses... and I need a good beating." she muttered.

"I can give you a beating we can both enjoy." Yusuke smirked.

Kurama sighed at his friend's comment. "Why do you need Hiei to beat you?"

"I need to also practice my healing. I know he's the only one that will injure me without worrying over me." she explained.

"Hell no. I won't let the shrimp cut you up just so you can improve your healing powers." Yusuke argued.

Kagome snorted as she gestured toward the detective. "See?"

Kurama scowled slightly "I'm sorry Kagome but I agree with Yusuke... Hiei won't go easy on you."

"Exactly why I'll be asking for his help. I need someone that isn't going to coddle me. I need to learn pain tolerance and to quicken my healing. If I'm going to survive this upcoming battle, I need to be stronger than I am now." She explained.

Kurama slapped his hand over Yusuke's mouth before he could argue with her further. Clearly the miko was taking her training more seriously because she wanted to live through this fight. Maybe everything he said to her the night before finally got through to her. She wanted to survive and return to them. And that was exactly what he'd been waiting for. "Alright Kagome. I'll contact Hiei after school as well. But will you also allow Yusuke and I to help?"

She hesitated for a moment before slowly nodding. "Kuwabara could help with my training as well since I can't use my powers on any of you."

"Actually Genkai could help with that." Yusuke mummbled once Kurama finally removed his hand from his mouth.

"It's settled then. We will all meet at Genkai's after school." Kurama smiled.

Kagome nodded and turned to her step brother, pulling him into a hug. She whispered her thanks before pulling away and hugging Yusuke as well. Smiling softly, she hurried off to her class, leaving both boys still surprised by her actions.

"I don't know what happened between you two last night but she's..."

"Opening up to us finally?"

"Yes... I expect details later Yusuke." the avatar cut his gaze toward the detective.

"I give you the PG13 version later fox boy." Kurama's eyes widened in disbelief at his comrade until the boy burst into laughter. "I'm kidding. We literally just napped." he said between chuckles as he turned down the hall that led to his classroom.

Kagome focused all her attention on her opponent. She knew Hiei was quick from the time she first met him but clearly he'd only been testing her. If she hadn't been training with Inuyasha for the past few months there's no way she could counter the hybrids swift attacks. Luckily for her, he allowed the miko the use of her barriers during their training. Although he'd mocked her for being a weak human, Kagome's desire to avoid the deep cuts from his katana overrode her pride. With Yusuke, Kurama, and Genkai all watching their match, she'd been nervous when their spar first began but now Hiei had her undivided attention. She could hear Yusuke fussing over the hybrid going to hard on her but she didn't dare address him. She knew the minute she let her guard down, the apparition would strike.

"Shut up Dimwit. You're going to throw off her concentration." Genkai snapped.

Yusuke glared at his former teacher. "How can you just stand there and watch Hiei beat her up?"

"He isn't 'beating her up'. She is actually holding her own quite well." Kurama murmured, his eyes focused on the fighters. Kagome was quite skilled with her barriers. He'd seen her fight when a tear in the barrier was reported but most of those demons were barely a challenge. It only became complicated when they attacked in large groups. But now, watching her fight an opponent that was clearly stronger than her, he could see where she needed improvements. She was surprisingly strong and quick. The fact that she could keep up with Hiei's movements impressed him but she was right about her lack of skill with close quarters combat. Without her powers and a weapon in her hand, she was defenseless.

"She lacks skill. Her abilities are her only upper hand. If it weren't for her barriers that she generates last minute to deflect Hiei's attacks, she'd be done for by now." Genkai mused.

"Do you think there is any room for improvement with her powers?" Kurama questioned.

She shook her head. "Whoever trained her did well. She has incredible control of her abilities. All she can do to improve her healing powers is to use them more."

The avatar nodded. "So then we need to work on her close quarters combat. Without her powers or a weapon."

"I can take care of that." Yusuke smirked.

Kurama snorted. "You'll only make matters worse. Hiei and I will spar with her."

Yusuke pouted. "Then what do I get to do with her?"

"Comfort her after training while she heals her wounds." Yukina piped up. "If you are the one she holds affection for then training with you will not help her. But you being there to comfort her after training will strengthen your bond."

Kurama smiled toward the maiden. "I couldn't have put it any better Yukina."

Yusuke sighed but didn't argue. He wanted to help train her but understood how he could be a distraction for her. Not to mention he'd go easy on her because he didn't want to harm the miko. They watched as she remained on the defensice against Hiei for nearly an hour. She was left with several openings to attack but the hybrid was so quick she couldn't take advantage of them. They're spar came to an end when Genkai finally stepped in.

"Your control, reflexes, and stamina are quite impressive but you lack skill. It's almost as if you rely on pure instinct. You don't have the experience a trained fighter possesses. I hope you enjoyed being able to hold your own against Hiei with your powers because that will be the last spar you are allowed to use them."

Kagome sighed heavily but nodded her head. "If it weren't for my miko abilities, I'd be dead ten times over." she admitted. "That's why Sango and Inuyasha are training me."

Genkai nodded before turning and making her way toward the temple. "No more using your powers. It will give you the practice you need with healing as well because believe me, Hiei will not go easy on you." she said over her shoulder before disappearing into the temple.

Kagome turned to thank the hybrid onle to see he'd already departed. Not surprised by his quick exit since the only reason she convinced him to help her in the first place was with the promise of sweet snow, she replaced her weapons to their shealths. Turning to Kurama and Yusuke, she gestured toward the stairs. "It's getting late, let's head home."

"Is that an invitation?" Yusuke teased as he fell into step beside the miko.

She rolled her eyes and sent him a playful glare. "You wish."

Kurama chuckled as a pout formed on Yusuke's face. He watched as the miko and his comrade bickered back and forth jokingly. Before long they were parting ways and Kagome called out to Yusuke before he was out of earshot. "Thank you Yusuke."

"Anything for you babe." The detective winked at her in return, causing the miko to blush slightly. He grinned before continuing home.

Kurama smiled to his sister as she turned and continued walking with him. "What has you taking training so seriously now? If you don't mind me asking." he questioned softly.

She didn't answer immediately. Instead she glanced behind her at Yusuke, a small smile on her face. "I gave up on my life here when my family was killed. I didn't think I would meet anyone I'd care about as much as I do you and Yusuke when I was forced to move into this house. I convinced myself that I would either die in battle or live the rest of my life in the Feudal Era. But now... things have changed." She said softly before grinning and linking her arm through her step brothers. "I can't just leave you hopeless boys by yourselves. And Kokoda needs someone to hang out with him while your off on missions."

She watched her step brother smile and chuckle softly at her comment and couldn't help but think how thankful she was. Thankful that she met him and Yusuke. Even after pushing them away for months, they remained by her side... waiting for her to accept the new people in her life. She still missed her family but deep in her mind, she could hear her mother's voice telling her that everything happened for a reason. She'd cursed the old saying at first but now she wondered if her mother had been right all along. Turning her gaze to the darkening sky, she smiled softly. She knew somewhere up there her family was watching over her. At that very moment, she promised to give this era another chance. To give Yusuke a chance. She refused to let the jewel control her life anymore than it already had. She would train hard and survive the upcoming battle. No matter what it took.

A/N:

Damn... I just can't stop lol im flying through chapters fast than I ever have. And,this one was a long one... Finally Kagome is opening up to Yusuke more! Things will still progress slowly between them so sorry to those who can't wait for some action lol but I promise it coming. Hope you are all enjoying so far! Keep up those reviews ;) I love them!

~*Icyfire*~


	16. Butterfly Effect

Light within the Darkness

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Yu YuHakusho… though a girl can dream can't she?

Chapter Sixteen: Butterfly Effect

Kagome dropped to her knees, quickly putting her hands to the ground to catch herself. Wincing from the sting of her injuries, she tried to catch her breath. Hiei and Kurama finally pushed her to her limit after hours of training. She knew she could take quite a beating considering the intense training Sango put her through to get her to the current skill level she was but after hours of pushing herself to dodge and counter every attack thrown her way, she finally had to throw in the towel. Courtesy of Hiei, her arms and legs were covered in deep cuts from his katana. Genkai hadn't been joking when she warned her the hybrid wouldn't go easy. The amount of lacerations she sported were a total number of times she either didn't dodge or block his attacks in time.

Sensing someone approach her, she turned her head slightly and wasn't surprised to see Yusuke. Worry etched all over his handsome face, he kneeled beside the miko as she slowly moved to sit on her calves. She quickly regretted it when she felt the sting of the wounds on her legs and swiftly rearranged herself. Closing her eyes, she began the healing process. She was only slightly surprised when she felt the detective lift her into his arms and carry her into the temple.

"Did you have to cut her so deep on her first day Hiei?" he growled, glaring slightly at the hybrid.

He snorted. "All of her wounds are her own doing."

"What he means is each injury she sustained was from her lack of action. She either didn't block or dodge in time. Most of her wounds are from the beginning of training. She improved as the day progressed." Kurama clarified. Although he knew the brutal training is exactly what she needed, each drop of blood still caused him to cringe.

The detective still scowled nontheless as he carried her to one of the recovery rooms. Gently placing her on one of the mats, he made himself comfortable against the wall beside her. He was thankful that Kurama told him to stay home during her training because if he'd seen Hiei and the avatar tear away at his miko, he wasn't sure if he would've been able to just sit by and watch. Once she started showing signs of fatigue, Yukina contacted him and he didn't waste any time coming to Kagome's aid. Turning his gaze to the woman beside him, he breifly wondered how long it would take her to heal her wounds.

"As long as there isn't any internal damage, I can usually heal flesh wounds within an hour. But it is very draining." she muttered under her breath, as if she knew what he was thinking.

"Any way I can help?"

She shook her head and closed her eyes, focusing completely on her injuries. Yusuke leaned forward to rest his chin in his hands and watched with mild interest as her cuts slowly began to disappear. Allowing his eyes to wander, he realized he only just noticed how sexy her training outfit was. Tight shorts and a tank top that easily showed the black sports bra she wore underneath. "Maybe I should come watch her training..." he murmured to himself, not thinking that the miko could hear him clearly.

"Why? You will only distract me."

"How would I distract you?" he asked, a smirk forming on his face. He knew the answer, he just wanted to hear her say it.

The miko stretched before turning a halfhearted glare at him. "Because you're perverted and obnoxious." she retorted before standing.

Yusuke pushed himself to his feet as well and approached the miko. Not able to resist, his hand found it's way to her backside and he gave a gentle squeeze. Kagome's entire body stiffened for a moment before she swiftly turned, fist ready to make contact with his face. He easily caught her hand before it could hit it's mark and pulled her against his chest. "It's really hard to keep my thoughts out of the gutter when you wear clothes like this."

Kagome's was speechless. Her heart was racing in her chest with anger... no, excitement? She wasn't even sure. She felt more surprised by his actions than infuriated. And now with Yusuke holding her against him, his face so close to hers, she couldn't breathe. Her mind quickly reminded her of their sparring match and the first time he kissed her. She felt his free arm, that wasn't holding her clenched fist, wrap around her waist and pull her even closer. She stared up at him, frozen where she stood.

Yusuke rolled his eyes as his gaze met hers. "You need to calm down, loosen up."

"How can I when you just..." she stumbled over her words, a blush making its way across her cheeks.

"Grabbed your ass?" he finished her sentence for her as he moved his hand from her hip to her butt for another feel. "Yup. And it's so much better than I hoped..."

Kagome released enough purifiction to shock the detective so she could make her escape. Pulling her fist from his grasp, she reeled back once more and growled in frustration when he shook off the sting of her powers and still stopped her attack. "You're such a pervert." she glared at him.

He shrugged. "You liked it babe."

"I should purify all the demonic blood in you." she threatened.

"But you won't." he shot back confidently.

Her glare intensified. "You will pay for that Yusuke."

A smirk began to form on his face. "This sounds exciting. I'm just going to let you know babe, every time you miss, I get a squeeze."

Her blush returned with a vengence and she quickly pulled her fist from his grasp again. "Well then I hope you enjoyed the squeeze you got because it will be the last." she growled before turning sharply and leaving the room. Yusuke shook his head and laughed softly to himself. She had no idea what she was up against. With her body his reward, there was nothing stopping him from winning this little challenge. And the way he saw it, it was a win win for both of them. She clearly liked the way he touched her, otherwise she would've purified him. Step by step, he was getting her closer to him. He wanted her to know just how much he wanted her, not only physically but in every way possible. He needed her to fall in love with him before Naraku waged war. Because with love on the line, he knew she'd fight with everything she has to return to him.

The next few days of training became somewhat of a routine. Once school was over Kagome, Kuwabara and Kurama would meet Hiei at Genkai's and training would begin. Yukina would contact Yusuke when Kagome began to fatigue and he would keep her company while she healed her wounds. The miko was improving quickly due to the intense training but they had no other choice. She'd return to the feudal era soon and then who knew when the final battle would begin. She needed to be ready for anything. The school bell rang, pulling the miko from her thoughts and Kagome made her way toward the front entrance to meet with her step brother. She smiled when she spotted him exit the building, Yusuke and Kuwabara in tow.

"Ready for training?" Kurama questioned.

She nodded. "I am starting with you or Hiei?"

A loud beeping interrupted their conversation as they turned their attention to Yusuke. The detective groaned as he pulled his communicator from his pocket. "What do you want toddler?"

"I need all of you here at once. There is a faction of rebel demons attacking the barrier. They need to be taken care of immediately." he announced.

He sighed. "Yea alright, send Botan to the back of the school building."

The screen went blank and Kurama turned an apologetic look to his step sister. "Looks like no training for today..."

The miko shrugged. "It's fine. I could use a day off anyway."

"What will you do until father leaves for work?"

She groaned. "l completely forgot about that..." she muttered. With them going to Genkai's after school every day, her father was already gone to work by the time they arrived home from training. "I guess i'll wander the city for a few hours."

Yusuke rolled his eyes at the miko as he reached into his pocket. Pulling out a keychain, he tossed it to her. "You can go hang out at my house until we finish the mission."

She hesitated for a moment and glanced toward Kurama. He smiled reassuringly but she still didn't seem convinced.

"My mom is in America for the next few weeks. The whole house is yours." Yusuke added. "You can even play on my xbox. Just don't fuck up my k/d." he winked toward her.

She snorted. "If anything, I'll improve your pathetic ratio."

"Whatever you say babe. My controller is charging in my room. Have fun." he called over his shoulder as he and the other boys hurried to the back of the school building. Sighing to herself, Kagome glanced down at the keys in her hand. Shrugging her shoulders, she started toward the detective's house. Steping up to his front door, she looked down at the two keys on the chain. One looked like a house key and the other a mailbox key. Using the one she thought was correct, she unlocked the door and dropped her bag next to her shoes. Closing the door and locking it behind her, she made her way to the living room. Sighing heavily, she took a look around. Spotting the television remote on the couch, she remembered the detective saying his xbox controller was charging in his room.

Slowly turning toward the hallway, she looked at the three doors ahead of her. She knew the door on the right was the bathroom but which was Yusuke's room? Stepping up to the first door on the left, she cracked it open and immediately slammed it shut. The strong stench of alcohol had slapped her in the face and she only caught a glimpse of the messy room before she'd closed it. Unless Yusuke had a drinking problem that she was unaware of, that was definitely his mother's room. Moving on to the last door, she slowly opened it. Yusuke's masculine scent reached her nose and she sighed in relief. Pushing the door open completely, she was surprised to see a decently clean bedroom. His hamper was overflowing with dirty clothes but aside from that, it was shockingly neat. Considering how messy his mother was, she was impressed that he wasn't like her. Glancing around, she spotted the controller in its docking station next to his bed.

A blush heated her cheeks as she finally found the courage to step into the detective's room and slowly made her way toward his bed. Snatching the controller from it's charger, she saw a pair of gym shorts on his bed. Shrugging to herself, she grabbed them as well and returned to the living room. Changing into the shorts and rocking the sports bra she wore under her uniform in preparation for training that was supposed to be after school, she plopped down on the couch. Leaving her uniform on the side of the couch so she could pull it on when she sensed the boys return, she turned on the game console and television. Booting up the game her little brother would play with her, she prepared herself to play until they finished the mission. After four hours of increasing Yusuke's kill death ratio to a high she knew he wouldn't be able to keep, she decided to watch a movie. It wasn't long before the miko was fast asleep, curled up in the blanket Yusuke's kept draped over the back of the couch.

Kurama effortlessly unlocked Yusuke's front door using the nearby plantlife. "Good work giving her the only key you have to the house." Kurama teased.

"Whatever, I knew she'd rather hang out here than wander the city." he muttered as they entered and heard the television. Making their way to the living room, they weren't surprised to see the miko out cold.

Kurama laughed softly. "Clearly she's comfortable in your home."

The detective shrugged as he spotted her uniform draped over the side of the couch. Curious, he lifted the blanket slightly and was surprised to see her wearing his shorts and a sports bra. "More comfortable that I expected..." he murmured.

"Please tell me she isn't naked..." the avatar's eyes widened when he too saw her uniform.

Yusuke scoffed. "I wish. She must've grabbed the shorts i left on my bed when she got the controller."

Sighing in relief, Kurama shook his head at his sister. "She's probably tired from the constant training. We should let her rest. Could you walk her home when she wakes?"

The detective nodded as he walked his comrade out and locked the door behind him. Returning to the living room, he sat at the other end of the couch and carefully took the xbox controller from her grasp. Turning on Call of Duty, he decided to play until she woke. Briefly wondering if she played at all while they were gone, he went into his profile settings to take a peek at his ratios. His jaw nearly dropped to the floor at the changes. How did she possibly triple his ratios in mere hours? Chuckling to himself and shaking his head, he started up a game to keep his mind off the nearly half naked miko sleeping beside him.

Kagome woke to the familiar sound of Yusuke cursing from being shot down. Yawning, she slowly opened her eyes to see the detective was in the middle of a game. "Don't tell me you ruined all my hard work already."

He glanced toward her briefly before returning his gaze to the game. "Good morning to you too princess."

"You really do suck at this game."

"It's kinda hard to focus when your sleeping half naked next to me." he retorted.

Remembering she was only in her sports bra and his shorts, she pulled the blanket up to her chest. Turning to grab her uniform she'd left beside her, she growled softly and leveled a glare at the detective. "Where is my uniform."

He shrugged, a smirk on his face. "Dunno. Where'd you leave it?"

"Yusuke..."

"Maybe you left it in my room when you took my shorts." his eyes widened slightly as a thought crossed his mind. "Did you get naked in my room?"

A blush heated her cheeks as her glare intensified. "In your dreams you pervert."

"No cause in my dreams, you're waiting for me naked in my bed." he smirked.

"I'm going home." she growled, not caring about her current attire anymore. Yusuke saw her in a sports bra every day during training, she just felt more exposed because it was just her and him... in his house... alone. Shaking those thoughts from her mind, she stomped toward the door and picked up her backpack. Slinging it over her shoulder, she jumped slightly when Yusuke reached past her and opened the door for her. Glaring at him once more, she made a quick exit, half hoping he wouldn't follow her.

"If you think i'm going to let you walk home alone, you're wrong babe."

She scowled but made no arguments. They walked in silence the short distance to her home, Kagome feeling Yusuke's eyes on her the entire way. She knew the smug detective was pleased with himself and it merely irritated her further. Once her home was in sight, she quickened her pace and planned to slam the door in his face without so much as a goodnight but clearly the detective had other plans. Before she could reach for the doorknob, he grabbed her around the waist and spun her toward him. Taking advantage of her surprise, he leaned down and pressed his lips against hers softly. Keeping it short and sweet, he broke their kiss and smirked down at the miko before pulling away.

"You can add those shorts to the collection of my clothes you have." he winked before departing. "Goodnight Gome." he called over his shoulder, snickering at the still frozen miko.

Kagome shook herself back to reality when she heard the front door open. Turning to see Kurama's smiling face, she huffed in annoyance and squeezed past her step brother into the house. "Stupid Yusuke..." she muttered.

"What'd he do now?" Kurama chuckled, following the miko to the second floor of their home.

"Stole another kiss from me." she growled half heartedly.

"You don't sound truely angry about it." he observed.

She opened her door and dropped her bag next to her closet before turning a slight glare to her step brother. "He thinks he can do whatever he wants. Arrogant bastard."

"Did you stop him?" he asked, leaning against the frame of her door.

Hesitating for a moment, she laid back onto her bed with a sigh. "Shut up Kurama."

"I'm merely pointing out the obvious."

"And what exactly is this obvious point you're trying to prove?"

Moving to sit beside her on the bed, he grinned down at her. "You're finally starting open up to him more. I was surprised you accepted his house keys... you two are getting closer."

She blushed slightly and averted her gaze. "I'm trying..."

"I know you are. And believe me when I say you won't regret it. Yusuke is what you need. He is the perfect person to balance you out."

She nodded, not able to disagree with him. Yusuke really was exactly what she needed. The hard part was dropping all of the barriers she'd placed around her heart after everything she'd been through. Allowing her heart to be vulnerable once more was very difficult for her to accept but she knew she couldn't gain anything without taking risks.

"You're doing great Kagome. He's patient. Now that he knows his efforts aren't for nothing, he will let you go at the pace you need to."

"Accept stealing kisses and groping me." she muttered.

He chuckled. "That's Yusuke for you. But seeing as he isn't burnt to a crisp, i'm guessing you don't hate his attention."

Rolling her eyes, the miko pushed her step bother off her bed. "Alright fine Kurama. I like how straight forward he is. And that he isn't afraid to make a move on me. Are you happy now?"

He grinned as he stood and made his way toward the door. "Yes, I just wanted you to admit it" he chuckled. "Goodnight." He smiled before turning off her light and closing the door behind him.

Kagome swiftly blocked and countered Hiei's attack and prepared for his next move. The boys trained her relentlessly the past few days and she was excited with her progress. After mere days, she was skilled enough to fight Hiei with no weapons. Her healing abilities improved to where she could divide her energy and heal minor wounds while still engaged in battle. With her healing in better control, she was able to fight longer and increase her stamina.

She effortlessly dodged the hybrids sword and swung her leg around in an attempt to land a kick. She wasn't surprised to see Hiei disappear before her foot made contact. They continued for nearly an hour before Genkai signaled for them to call it a night. Taking a deep breath, she threw a smile toward Hiei before he could depart. Turning to her step brother, she wasn't surprised to see Yusuke standing beside him.

"You're coming along great Kagome." Kurama smiled in praise.

"Yea, it's nice to come and not see you half dead for once." Yusuke joked.

She rolled her eyes. "All the injuries were necessary. My healing wouldn't be as powerful if itd been any different." She explained as she slung her bag over her shoulder and led them down the steps of the temple.

"Indeed. I'm sure Sango and Inuyasha will be impressed with your improvement when you return."

She nodded, "They'll definitely be happy I can heal faster."

"When are you supposed to return?" Yusuke asked, a hint of disappointment in his voice that neither of them missed.

"Tomo-" the miko stumbled as a shock ran through her. Catching herself before she could fall, she stood frozen. That feeling... Something was wrong. She turned urgent eyes to Kurama. "Call Koenma. Tell him to check on my friends."

Feeling his sister's distress, he quickly pulled it from his pocket and made the call. Koenma appeared on the screen and he asked the demi God to check the book. Complete horror flashes across his face as he read over the recent events. Kagome moved beside her brother so she could see koenma and felt her heart sink at the sight of his expression.

"It's Kaede, Naraku is attacking the village." he said but before he could finish his sentence, the miko had already activated her necklace and disappeared.

"I thought the book only revolved around her traveling group." Kurama questioned.

"Kaede is in the picture I used to create the book..."

"Well is the hag alright?" Yusuke asked.

Koenma paused as he continued reading before shaking his head. "I don't know... Their still under attack as we speak so I don't know if Kagome and her group will make it in time..."

Kurama sighed and thanked the demi god before closing the compact. "We should head home. There is nothing we can do right now."

Yusuke growled in irritation. "This is bullshit! She's diving right into a battle and we have no way of knowing what's going on!"

"I understand your frustration Yusuke but your wasting your energy. All we can do is go home and use the journals." he said as he continued toward home.

"We dont even know if those Damn things work!"

"We'll just have to hope they do then Yusuke!" Kurama snapped, causing the detective to simmer.

He fell into step beside the avatar and took in his tense posture. It was clear that he was just as stressed over the situation. Sighing to calm his racing thoughts, he shoved his hands in his pockets. "I really dont know how you did it man. You've known about her mission a lot longer than I have."

Kurama closed his eyes, trying not to think about what danger his step sister could be in at that very moment. "I cling to the hope I have that she will return."

The detective dropped his gaze to the ground. "And if she doesn't return one day?" he muttered.

Kurama remained silent for a moment before slowly turning his gaze to the detective. "She will return. I believe in her will to live. You just have to believe in her too."

Kagome found herself in a dense forest when she arrived in the feudal era. Spreading her aura out, she quickly found her friends and dashed off. Sensing her urgency, everyone stood from what seemed to be a short break in their traveling. "We have to go... Kaede... The village is under attack... She's in trouble!" Kagome explained between breathes.

Everyone jumped into action and packed their things. Kouga ordered his men to ready for quick travel before sprinting off ahead of the group. Inuyasha quickly picked up Kagome as Miroku, Sango and Shippo hurried onto Kirara's back before they all took off. Traveling as fast as they could, Kagome wasn't surprised when she looked back to see theyd gotten far ahead of the others. She knew Kouga would be the first to reach the village and prayed they made it in time.

It took them almost two hours to finally reach the village. For miles they'd seen the smoke from a large fire and the miko knew they were too late. Kaede's barrier was powerful but it wouldn't stand against Naraku. Kagome leapt out of Inuyasha's grasp when he slid to a stop near the outskirts. The miko sprinted into the still burning village, searching for survivors as she quickly made her way to Kaede's hut. Finally reaching it, dread filled her as she stared at the untouched hut. The buildings around were nothing but rubble yet her home looked just as theyd left it. Until the miko say the spider etched into the wood beside the doorway. She dropped to her knees as a sob escaped her. She knew exactly what she would find if she entered the hut. A scene identical to her home.

"We're too late..." Miroku muttered, stopping beside Kagome. Sango one else beside the miko and pulled her into her arms, tears trailing down her own cheeks at their loss. Miroku clenched his fists as he turned to Inuyasha, who stood several feet away. He refused to go any closer to the hut... The smell of Kaede's blood was overwhelming. "Where is Kouga?" the monk asked quietly.

"Searching for survivors." he answered.

Kagome sniffled and pushed herself to her feet. Taking a deep breath, she started toward the hut. Sango grabbed her wrist before she could get very far. "What are you doing?"

Kagome clenched her jaw before turning emotionless eyes to her slayer friend. "We have to give her a proper burial."

Miroku shook his head and rested his hand on the mikos shoulder. "Please Kagome, allow me."

She hesitated for a moment before slowly nodding. Softly thanking the monk, she turned toward the rest of the village. "Sango, please ask Kirara to watch over Shippo and keep him away from here. I dont want him to see this..."

"Where are you going Kagome?" inuyasha questioned softly.

"I'm going to start gathering the bodies of the villagers. They all deserve proper burials..."

"I will join you once I make sure Shippo and Kirara are safe." Sango informed her before hurrying out of the village.

After spending the rest of the evening gathering the deceased and digging hundreds of graves, the group finally made camp under the Tree of Ages. They needed to get some rest before traveling back to the base camp they'd set up while they waited for Naraku to attack. They were sure why he destroyed the village but there was one thing they did know. He would pay for everything he'd done. All the lives he took.

Kagome laid in her sleeping bag staring at the branches that hung above her. There was no way she'd fall asleep. Her stomach growled and she sighed. Sitting up, she quietly opened her bag and searched for a snack. Spotting the journal Kurama had given her, she pulled it from her bag along with a bag of chips. Staring at the book for a moment, she slowly opened it and was surprised to see writing on the first page.

' _What happened Kagome?_ '

' _Is Kaede alright?_ '

She wasn't surprised there were two different handwrittings and she could easily tell who wrote which question. Yusuke's handwriting was rough and messy while Kurama's was smooth and elegant. Removing a pen from her bag, She took a deep breath in an attempt to hold back her tears.

' _We didn't make it in time._ '

She couldn't allow her tears to fall, not when her friends finally fell asleep. After digging dozens of graves and burying the women they all saw as a grandmother, sleep evaded them. Glancing around their small camp, the miko noticed that Kouga was the only one still awake. He volunteered to keep watch so Inuyasha could rest for the night. Averting her attention back to the journal, she watched as words slowly appeared below her script.

' _Come home Kagome. You've had a long day and you deserve to sleep in the comfort of your bed._ ' Kurama wrote.

Kagome stared at his words for a moment before turning toward the wolf. "Kouga? I'm going home. I'll be back tomorrow." she whispered.

The wolf nodded and sent her a reassuring smile. "Be safe" he mummbled.

Returning his smile, she activated her necklace. Finding herself in the backyard as usual, she mindlessly made her way to the side of the house where the window to her bedroom was. She was only briefly surprised when a branch from a nearby tree extended toward her. Wrapping her fingers around the branch, she allowed it to lift her to the window and slid into her room. Glancing toward her bed, her gaze met with both Kurama and Yusuke. Tears burned her eyes and the moment she felt a pair of arms wrap around her tightly, she felt her control shatter. She sobbed into Yusuke's chest, not holding anything back as he merely held her. Kurama quietly left the room, murmuring to Yusuke that he would check on them in the morning before closing the door behind him. The detective pulled Kagome toward her bed and sat down, pulling her into his lap as she continued to mourn her loss.

It wasn't long before the miko cried herself to sleep. Yusuke gently placed her under the covers before standing to leave but stopped when Kagome grabbed his wrist. Turning his gaze to her, he felt his heart break at the pure sorrow in her eyes.

"Please don't leave me..." she whispered.

Without hesitation, he crawled under the covers beside her. Turning on his side to face her, he wrapped his arms around the miko and pulled her close. "I will never leave you Kagome." he murmured.

She sniffled and cuddled closer to him before quickly falling asleep. Once he was sure she was resting, Yusuke allowed his eyes to close and sleep to overcome him as well.

A/N:

That wraps up this chapter! Sorry for the tear jerker, it needed to happen... Things couldn't be all happy dandy forever unfortunately. Hope you all enjoyed. Next chapter is already in the works so it shouldn't be long before i update again. Until next time!

~*Icyfire*~


	17. Burden

Light Within the Darkness

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho... though a girl can dream can't she?

Chapter Seventeen: Burden

Kagome quietly walked beside Sango, aimlessly staring at Inuyasha's back. They were traveling back to the base camp they'd set in preparation for Naraku's attack. Inuyasha voted they hunt their enemy down and bring the fight to him instead of waiting for him to make the first move but they all knew that wasn't an intelligent decision. The hanyou was angry and grieving over the loss of Kaede, as was everyone else, but they had to refrain from making quick choices fueled by their anger. They would walk right into Naraku's territory, where he himself could have set traps just as they had. Kagome was able to convince their hot headed leader that rushing in blindly would only get them killed. Then Kaede and all those who lost their lives would have died in vain.

They knew Naraku would send an army ahead of him in hopes that it would do most of the work for him and the coward could swoop in and merely take their half of the jewel from their cold dead bodies. They also knew Naraku had attacked Kaede's village in hopes that they would rush into battle and leave their fortress they'd prepared and fall into his traps. The evil hanyou knew their traps would deplete a good amount of his army but Kagome knew he was too impatient to wait around for them to make the first move. Even with them utilizing the traps they'd spent so much time setting up, Naraku still had his detachments, so with that in mind, going back to their base was the wisest choice. Kagome wasn't worried about the army of weak mindless demons but if they needed to fight Kagura, Kanna, Hakudoshi, Kohaku, and Naraku at the same time, it could prove to overwhelm them.

Kouga already announced his tribe would be assisting in the battle and Sesshomaru would also be on their side. With the added man power, Kagome hoped the traps could minimize the smaller threats so they could focus fully on the detachments and most of all; Naraku. With Kaede's death, everyone was far more motivated to defeat Naraku and avenge the old miko. They just prayed they would have little to no casualties in the final battle, though they all knew it wasn't likely that they would all survive.

Kagome thought back to earlier that morning and her hard gaze softened. When she'd woken up, Yusuke was holding her so tight she almost didn't want to leave. She felt so safe in his arms, as if he could shield her from the terrible world. She had quietly slipped out of his embrace and after gathering her bag, departed back to the feudal era. Once she arrived, their group fell right into deciding their next move and calming Inuyasha so he wouldn't make any rash decisions. Then they were on their way back to their camp. With so much running through her mind, she hadn't taken a moment to wonder what Yusuke thought when he woke alone in her bed.

Before she returned to her time, Kagome thought she would be able to compose herself until she was alone in her room. She knew Kurama would try to comfort her but she hadn't expected he'd call Yusuke over. The moment she laid eyes on him, she felt something in her break and the tears came crashing down. And he'd just held her... taken in all her pain and sorrow. When she woke that morning, she felt stronger, more determined. Is this what Kurama meant by allowing them to lighten the burden she carried? She felt bad leaving Yusuke without waking him but after her breakdown the previous night, she couldn't face him yet. She knew she needed to thank the detective for giving her a shoulder to cry on, and thank her step brother for knowing that Yusuke was exactly what she needed that night.

Turning her gaze to the sky, she realized it was slowly transitioning to night. Glancing ahead, she could see Inuyasha searching for an acceptable place to make camp for the night. It wasn't long before a fire was made and Inuyasha was setting out to hunt dinner. Kagome unrolled her sleeping bag and prepared a pot of water over the fire. Reaching into her bag for a packet of ramen she knew Inuyasha would ask for, her fingers brushed the smooth spine of the notebook Kurama had given her. Pulling it from the depths of her bag along with the ramen, a small smile graced her lips. With all the commosion she'd forgotten about the journal. Dropping the noodles into the boiling water, she made herself comfortable beside the fire and opened the book.

 _'How is everyone this morning?'_ was written at the top of the second page in Kurama's smooth handwriting.

 _'You should've woken me before you left.'_ clearly Yusuke's boyish writing.

 _'I'm sure you're traveling so just write back when you can.'_

 _'We spend a night together and not even a kiss goodbye... I'm hurt.'_

 _'Ignore him, he's just mad because I had to make him get out of your bedroom before the rest of the house woke up.'_

 _'Do all girls keep their panties in the top drawer of their dresser?'_

 _'Yusuke...'_

 _'Kidding, chill.'_

Kagome rolled her eyes at their banter as she pulled a pen from her bag. _'We just stopped and made camp for the night. Kaede's death hit all of us quite hard but we are now more determined than ever to win this fight. Inuyasha wanted us to go searching for Naraku but we convinced him that returning to our stronghold was more logical. So that is where we're headed now.'_ She wrote before setting the journal aside and returning her attention to the ramen.

After dinner and Shippo was tucked in for bed, Kagome arranged herself comfortably beside the kit and reopened the journal.

 _'That's good, you all must stay strong and make the wisest choice possible for all of you.'_

 _'Tell that bastard if he does anything stupid and gets you all in trouble, I'll figure out a way to time travel and kick his ass.'_

 _'Inuyasha wouldn't do anything that could put us in danger. He's just angry.'_ She reassured them.

 _'Yusuke is just worried about you, as am I.'_

Kagome smiled. _'I know, and I appreciate it. I don't know what I would do without you both.'_

 _'You're welcome, just next time don't leave me without at least a kiss.'_

Kagome could practically see the detective winking at her in her minds eye.

 _'Behave yourself Yusuke.'_

 _'Butt out Kurama. Let me talk to my lady.'_

 _'Will you be returning home tonight?'_ Kurama wrote, ignoring Yusuke's comment.

 _'No, I want to make sure my friends safely reach our base camp before I return. Once there, Kouga and Inuyasha are going to gather whatever forces we have on our side and from there... we wait.'_

 _'Are you going to come back until the fight is supposed to break out?'_ Kagome could practically hear the hope in Yusuke's voice. She knew he wanted to spend more time with her... get to know her more. She wanted that too, she just hoped she wasn't setting the detective up for some serious heartbreak if she didn't survive this battle.

 _'Yes, I will go back and forth. I need to help set up more traps and participate in our battle plans.'_

 _'It's so hot when you talk like that.'_

 _'Yusuke...'_

 _'What? I can't help it that I'm sprung.'_

A blush tinted her cheeks as her eyes skimmed over Yusuke's writing. _'I'm going to sleep, I will write in the morning.'_

 _'Goodnight, be safe.'_

 _'Night babe.'_

At the slow rate they were traveling, it took the group nearly two days to reach their destination. Kagome found herself writing to Yusuke and Kurama majority of their trip to pass time. It was nice to be able to communicate with them while she was in the past. It gave her time to get to know both of them better, even with Yusuke throwing in random perverted statements and agitating Kurama. She was sure to pay close attention to her surroundings even as her eyes were clued to the journal. Being the curious kit he was, Shippo had asked what the journal was and she explained to him it was her way of talking with her friends in her time. Sango pointed out that ever since she'd met Koenma and her step brother, her time traveling seemed to be simplified. With her new teleportation perks and being able to communicate with her time, the miko seemed almost... happier.

Miroku, of course, was the one to pipe up that a new special someone in their miko friends life was the reason she seemed to be in a better mood. In all honestly, Kagome couldnt deny the monks assumptions. Although Sango was right, with all the recent changes she did feel more at ease. But the reason she felt in higher spirits was because of Yusuke and Kurama. They had a nack for knowing exactly what to say to brighten her day. Even with Kaede's death still at the forefront of her mind, the boys were able to put a smile on her face with their humorous banter. She told her friends about not only her step brother, but also Yusuke. About how she felt about him and her fears if she let him too close. She wasn't surprised when Sango draped an arm around her shoulders and encouraged her to follow her heart. To both the miko and slayers surprise, both Kouga and Inuyasha remained silent during their whole conversation, as if they were zoning them out. Kagome was sure they were only staying quiet because they were focused on the upcoming battle. Once the fight was over, she would get an earful from one jealous wolf and an overprotective dog.

Once they reached their stronghold, everyone settled in and made camp. With all of her friends in the safety of their base, Kagome informed them she would be returning to her time and that she would return in the morning. Reaching up to grasp her necklace, she charged it with her energy and suddenly found herself in Yusuke's living room. She wasn't surprised to see Yusuke and Kuwabara playing video games while Kurama was lounging in a chair beside the couch reading a book. Throwing her legs over the back of the couch, she held back her laughter when both boys jumped in surprise as her bottom landed on the cushion between them.

"You're back earlier than we expected." Kurama stated, putting his book down.

She shrugged and was about to reply when she felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist. Her cheeks flushed with heat as Yusuke pulled her into his lap with a grin. "No goodbye, no hello. You really make a guy work to get your attention huh?"

"Yusuke pay attention!" Kuwabara complained, "The other team is catching up!"

Kagome glanced at the screen and quickly took the controller from Yusuke's grasp. Arranging herself so she was more comfortable, she held back her blush as she changed her loadout and respawned into the game. She felt the detective's arms wrap around her waist loosely as she helped Kuwabara finish the match, completely missing the surprised look on Kurama's face as he stared at the couple.

 _'What's going on?'_ Kurama mouthed to his comrade.

 _'I don't know but don't ruin it!'_ Yusuke mouthed back, glaring at him.

"If you do anything inappropriate while I'm focusing on the game Yusuke, you will regret it." Kagome warned.

He smirked. "It's real hard when your girl is sitting in your lap playing video games."

"Behind you Kagome! There's a guy camping in that tower!"

She threw a grenade through the window of the building before turning a glare to the detective behind her. "I mean it Yusuke."

He rolled his eyes. "Relax, I'm not gunna do anything. I'm too comfortable right now to do anything that would make you move."

Kurama sighed and opened his book once more. If Kagome was playing now, they would be there for a while. Not that he minded, he planned to hang around until the sun went down since he thought Kagome wasn't going to be back until nightfall. And he knew Yusuke wanted to spend time with the miko as much as he did, so it wouldn't hurt to let the two bond over video games for a few hours. Glancing toward the couch, he couldn't stop the smile that pulled at his lips. Yusuke looked like he was in heaven with his arms wrapped around Kagome's midsection as she comfortably sat in his lap playing with Kuwabara. And for once, Kagome didn't seem tense in the detective's presence. Maybe all the talking they'd done through the journals for the past two days helped her open up to them more. They had definitely talked about a lot, there wasn't much that they didn't know about each other at this point except for past relationships.

Watching the couple, Kurama knew they were perfect for each other. He just hoped Kagome would let Yusuke love her. It was clear by merely looking at his comrade that he was definitely in love with his step sister. He'd seen the excitement in his eyes when Kagome plopped down on the couch. And he knew Kagome felt the same towards him, that was the only logical reason he could come up with for why the miko allowed him to pull her into his lap and remained there. It was surprising to them that she still sat there, usually she would've called him a pervert and relocated. But there she sat, teasing Kuwabara for getting killed by a mortor. She looked happier than he could ever remember, considering one of her close friends had just been murdered. Kuwabara was killed again by the same attack and a sound emitted from her that had all three of them staring at the miko in surprise. She laughed.

"I can't believe you got killed four times in a row by the same person. You're terrible at this game Kuwabara." she laughed, trying to pay attention to the game as best she could. She felt Yusuke's arms around her tighten a bit more and she turned her gaze back to him, a huge smile still plastered on her face as she tried to control her laughter. The detective was staring at her with an emotion clouding his eyes that she didn't recognize. "What's wrong?"

He smiled softly. "You have a beautiful smile..."

A blush heated her cheeks and she whipped her gaze back to the television just as the match ended. Laughing softly at her reaction, he reached for the controller in her hand. "My turn babe." he murmured as he gently moved her to sit beside him, but still close enough so their legs were touching. For the next few hours, they swtiched playing with Kuwabara, trying to help the orange haired boy increase his rank in the game. Once the sun was no longer shining through the windows in the living room, Kagome stood and stretched her lazy muscles. Glancing toward her step brother, she smiled. "Ready to head home?"

He returned her smile full force and nodded. Kuwabara hugged the little miko goodbye before taking his leave and Kurama lifted her traveling bag onto his shoulder. Thanking him, she followed the red head toward the door. She turned to say bye to Yusuke and was caught by surprise when he pulled her in for a kiss.

He released her before she could react and smirked down at her. "Now that's a proper goodbye."

She blushed as dark as Kurama's hair as she averted her gaze, not sure what to say. She felt Yusuke gently grab her chin and forced her eyes to meet his. "Don't ever leave me again without a proper goodbye Kagome. It at least gives me something to hold me over until you return." he murmured.

A small smile pulled at her lips and she nodded. "I'm sorry. I didn't know how to face you after... you saw me in that state."

"What? Crying? Believe me, it hurt me to see those tears more than it embarrased you that I saw them. All I want is for you to be happy. Smile and laugh like you did earlier. Even though you're pretty sexy when you're mad, you're beautiful when you're happy."

Kagome felt her heart flutter in her chest. Who knew Yusuke could be such a sweet talker? If she hadn't been sure about being head over heels for the boy before, she knew now that she definitely was. Feeling playful, she slowly wrapped her arms around his neck and stepped closer to him. She watched in amusement as his eyes widened slightly in surprise by her actions. "So, if a proper goodbye is what I'm to give you to hold you over while I'm gone, what will you give me to hold myself over?"

A smirk slowly appeared on Yusuke's face and Kagome wondered for a moment what she'd just gotten herself into. The miko hadn't seen the lustful side of Yusuke yet. When she stepped closer to him and asked what he would give her, he almost felt all the blood rush below his belt. There was plenty he could give her to have her thinking of him while she was gone. Glancing toward the door, he winked at Kurama before pushing the door shut with his foot. His attention back to Kagome, he pinned her to the wall beside them. Before her mind could register what was happening, he pressed his lips to hers once more.

Kagome gasped in surprise when he kissed her once more but this time, she was able to react faster. Her eyes fluttering shut, she returned his kiss for the first time. And Yusuke didn't hesitate to accept the change. Pressing his body flush against hers, he deepened the kiss when she parted her lips for him. He felt his knees shake when her tongue met his and had to pull himself together to keep from loosing himself in the kiss. He'd kissed many girls but never before, not even with Keiko, did a mere kiss feel so... fufilling. Their passionate lip lock continued for what seemed like eternity until Yusuke finally pulled away for some much needed oxygen. Letting out a deep breath, the detective rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes.

Kagome tried to focus on catching her breath but after the steamiest... most heart stopping kiss she'd ever experienced, and the bulge she could feel between her legs, the miko found it hard to concentrate. She knew Yusuke was probably a passionate individual but she never would have guessed he could take her breath away with such an intense kiss. Her heart was pounding in her chest as her mind took note of how perfect she fit against his body. Opening her eyes, she could see a smile on his face. His eyes were still closed as he continued to rest his forehead against hers in an effort to catch his breath. Remembering that they had left Kurama outside, she squirmed against him but stopped immediately when he tensed.

"Please just stay still for a minute..." he murmured.

A blush blazed across her cheeks once more when she felt the bulge between her legs throb. She felt heat pool in the pit of her stomach as she thought of just how big he probably was. If she felt him so easily through his jeans... she shivered.

"And please don't think about that. It's making your scent change... and if you get as horny as I feel right now, I'm telling Kurama to walk home alone." He said, finally opening his eyes only to wink at her.

"I'm sorry... I can't help it... it's... right there and I can feel it..." she stuttered over her words, trying not to think of what Yusuke would do to her if she let him tell her step brother to go home without her. Was she ready to take their relationship to that step? Was she ready to fully let Yusuke into her heart?

"I couldn't stop myself, that was the best kiss... ever. Only an idiot wouldn't get hard from a kiss like that from the girl he loves." He sighed.

Kagome froze against him, her eyes widening. Glancing down at her, he stared at her in confusion. "What?"

"You... you said...How?"

He rolled his eyes. "How could I not? You're beautiful, strong, intelligent, you play video games, and you're neck deep in the same shit I deal with on a daily basis. After my grilfriend and I broke up, I thought it would be impossible to have a future with someone. Not with the life style I lead and the blood in my veins."

"She broke up with you because of your demon blood?"

"Humans in this time don't know demons exist. So even after she found out the truth, she couldn't accept it. Couldn't accept that if we ever had kids, they wouldn't be human. And with demons targeting me all the time, I knew it wasn't fair to her. Specially since she can't defend herself against my enemies. I thought I would be alone forever. Then you came along. And even though you tried to push me away, I still fell in love with you."

Tears stung her eyes as she averted her gaze. She was torn between the angry she felt that his ex girlfriend couldn't accept him for who he was and the warmth that was flooding her heart at hearing him admit his feelings for her. She knew he liked and cared for her, and she'd heard Kurama mention love before but she never imagined Yusuke could actually feel that strongly for her in such a short time. She felt her heart clench when she realized she been denying him all this time and all he wanted was to love her. She'd been so stubborn and cruel to him... and yet here he still stood, staring down at her waiting for a response. She knew she couldn't tell him she loved him in return. Not yet. Deep in her heart, the miko knew she felt just as strongly for him as he did her but she just couldn't put it into words at the moment. So instead, she reached up to hold his face in her hands. Smiling, she kissed him softly before pulling away, sniffling as a tear trailed down her cheek.

"I'm sorry for trying to push you away. I never realized I was doing more harm than help. I'd hoped that if you kept your distance, we wouldn't develope feelings for each other. I didn't want you to be hurt if I don't survive the battle..."

He scoffed and reached up to wipe the tear from her cheek. "Well your plan didn't work at all. Cause even though you won't say it, I know you love me too." he smirked.

She blushed once more and released his face, averting her gaze once more. "What makes you say that."

"Because if you didn't, you wouldn't have tried so hard to keep me away." He grinned knowly.

She rolled her eyes as he stepped away from her. Before she could stop herself, her gaze fell to the fly of his jeans. She had no idea why she wanted to see if his hard on was gone or not but she regreted looking when she heard Yusuke chuckle.

"If you want to see it that bad, why don't you just spend the night here? I'll show you whatever you want." he smirked.

She blushed beet red once more and forced her feet to carry her toward the door. "I'm not making Kurama wait for me any longer, pervert."

He rolled his eyes and reached around her to open the door for the miko. Grabbing her around the waist, he put his lips to her ear. "You like how perverted I am. I have a feeling you're worst than I am." he whispered before planting a kiss on her cheek and releasing her. Smirking toward Kurama, who was glaring at him, he winked. "Sorry bro, didn't mean to keep you waiting."

Kurama rolled his eyes and waited for his step sister to catch up to him before they started toward home. Glancing at her from the corner of his eye, he could see a deep blush on her cheeks. Deciding to wait until later to question the miko, he walked beside her in silence. From her scent, it wouldn't be long before she and Yusuke became offical. He wasn't sure what happened between them but it was becoming clear that they had successfully melted the ice she'd frozen her heart in. With so much to live for, he was confident his stubborn sister would do anything in her power to survive the final showdown.

"So you love him?"

Kagome blushed as she slowly nodded. "I just don't know how to say it back... I don't know if I'm ready to say it back." she admitted.

Sango chuckled at her friend as they walked the perimeter of their base camp, checking on all the traps in the area. "If you can't say it, show it. Haven't you ever heard the saying 'actions speak louder than words'?"

"But I don't know how to show it either!"

"Why can't you say you love him? What is stopping you?"

The miko shrugged as she looked over the trap they were approaching. "I don't know... what if he decides he deserves more than me? I can't promise him anything right now, not with my duty to the jewel. I have nothing to give in this relationship... he's putting blind faith in the fact that I will survive. But what if I don't? Do I really want to tell him that I love him, let him completely into my heart and bring down all my shields I worked so hard to build... take our relationship to the next level only for me to be a casualty in this war and leave him alone and heartbroken?"

Sango rolled her eyes at her friend's dramatic word vomit. "You need to stop letting your fear of what will happen in the future stop you from enjoying the present."

"Then why don't you and Miroku marry now? Why are you waiting until after the war to wed? Why not 'enjoy the present' as you said." Kagome retaliated.

"Because I have hope that we will somehow find a way to save Kohaku. And if we can, I want him to be there for the wedding." the slayer answered softly.

Kagome nodded in understanding, happy her friend still held hope for her sibiling. Thinking back to her situation, she pondered on why she kept going back and forth about her relationship with Yusuke. Sango was right. Why did she keep letting her fear stop her from finding happiness?

"I think you're afraid to find out what true love is. I think you're more afraid that once you embrace the happiness, the battle will start and you will feel you didn't have enough time with him. But Kagome, you have to realize that the more that is at stake, the harder your will to fight."

"Because I want to see him again..." Kagome murmured.

"Exactly. You will find your strength in those you are fighting for. Let him in Kagome. Tell him how you feel for goodness sake. You face dozens of terrifying demons on a day to day basis but you shrivel up in fear of admitting to the man you love your true feelings." She laughed. "And you thought Miroku and I were pathetic when we were beating around the bush. That poor boy spilled his heart out to you, don't leave him without an answer."

Kagome sighed. "Well the cocky bastard says he already knows I love him back."

"Doesn't matter what he said, hearing it from your mouth will mean the world to him. You will make him the happiest man alive."

"Alright, alright. I'll tell him."Kagome laughed, rolling her eyes at her nagging friend. Talking with Sango about the situation was exactly what she needed. She'd been surprised when Yusuke told her he loved her and at the time, didn't know how to respond. But after sleeping on it and now speaking to the slayer, she knew for sure she loved him too. She just had to figure out how to put it into words. And when she told him her feelings, what would that mean for their relationship? She wasn't sure yet... and she hadn't decided if she was ready to bed the detective... although she had thought about it. The 'what if' part of her mind told her she should because at least they could have that special night together before the final battle, no matter if she lived or died. She would fight with everything she had to survive, but she couldn't guarantee anything. For everything Yusuke had done for her, despite her being an asshole, she thought he deserved at least that.

"I think you should too." Sango piped up casually.

Whipping her gaze to her friend, she blushed beet red and nearly stumbled over her own feet. "What are you talking about Sango!?"

"You're wondering if you should allow Yusuke to take you to his bed. I think you should." she answered with a grin.

"How did you know I was thinking that?!" the miko sputtered.

"Because I've been thinking about it too. And I decided that if Miroku wants to, then we will. Before the battle." She blushed slightly, her gaze in the distance. "After the cold shoulder he's been getting from you since you met, he deserves something in return. That boy is either stupid or really loves you to have stuck around this long."

The miko was at a loss of words. She agreed that Sango was right, Yusuke did deserve something in return for being so patient with her. Her mind lingered on what her friend had first said. She had no idea they had gotten that close in their relationship.

Sango rolled her eyes at her gaping friend. "We can at least share that memory together, just in case something _does_ happen in the battle. We've all been through so much, why not have a little fun for once?"

The miko couldn't help but laugh. "We thought the monk was the perverted one this whole time but seems your just as bad!"

"Shut up, you were thinking the same thing! So you're just as bad as I am!" the slayer fired back.

"Fine, fine. We are both big perverts. How can we help it? Our men are... sexy..."

Sango groaned in agreement. "Tell me about it... Miroku's butt..."

"Yusuke's chest..."

"His eyes..."

"His cocky smile..."

"These backsides..."

Both girls squealed when a hand landed on both their rears. Turning sharply, they both slapped the monk as hard as they could. Glaring down at their attacker, Kagome turned her gaze to Sango to see the slayer was blushing mad. Breaking out into laughter, she ducked to avoid being hit by her embarassed friend. "He totally heard all of that!" She cackled.

"Shut up Kagome!"

"He's going to bug you all night once he wakes up from his little nap!" She continued to laugh, bending over to hold her aching sides.

"It's not funny!"

"It totally is!" The miko took off at a dead run when she spotted her friend stomping toward her. "I'm going home! Tell Inuyasha I'll be back tomorrow!" She snickered as she reached for her necklace. The last thing she heard before she was teleported was Sango yelling that she was a coward. Still laughing as she reached her time, she wasn't surprised to find herself in a dark alleyway again. Spreading her senses to find her step brother, she began making her way toward his aura. Finally arriving to an abandoned park, her gaze swept over the scene before her. There was another tear in the barrier and the boys were fighting a horde of demons pushing their way out of Makai. Eager to see Yusuke and jump into battle, she quickened her pace.

Just as she was reaching for her weapons strapped to her boots, she heard Hiei's voice invade her mind.

 _'No weapons onna.'_ She scowled but obeyed his order. Fine, she would just use her powers.

 _'No powers either.'_

 _'I hate you Hiei.'_ She growled.

 _'Ask me if I care. You want to be stronger? No weapons or abilities. You're fighting skills still need work, as well as your healing. If you cannot defeat these measly low class demons then you will surely die in your upcoming battle.'_

Growling in irritation, she slowly nodded her head in understanding. She knew he was right, which is why she had asked him to help her. She knew he would push her with no boundries. Approaching the first demon she reached, she used the fighting skills Sango, Hiei, and Kurama had taught her over the past few months. Glancing around the battlefield, she smiled when her eyes caught her step brothers. He shot her a 'be careful' look before averting his attention back to the enemies. Sensing Yusuke nearby, she carefully searched for him only to find the detective a few feet away. Throwing up a barrier, she quickly made her way over to him, pulling him into the safety of her bubble in the process. Smiling up at him, she pulled him down for a quick kiss before dropping her barrier and jumping back into battle. The detective smirked as he too returned his focus to the attacking demons, though stayed close to his miko in case she needed help. It wasn't long before the demons began to fall back into the tear and Yusuke and Kurama were forcing the barrier to repair itself.

Once the tear disappeared, Yusuke made a beeline for Kagome and swept her into his arms. "Hey babe." He smiled down at her and placed a chaste kiss on her lips.

She returned his smile full force before pulling herself from his embrace to greet the others. "Do tears in the barrier happen often?"

Kurama shrugged. "Several a month, nothing overwhelming."

"Good, at least I won't be completely bored once my mission is over." she grinned.

"And who says you'll be going on missions with us?" Yusuke snorted, crossing his arms over his chest.

She leveled him with a glare. "Who says you can stop me? Koenma doesn't seem to mind my presence and he calls the shots."

"I don't care whos callin the shots, I don't want you throwing yourself into danger." Yusuke argued.

"If you think I'm going to sit at home while you boys go off on missions you're delusional. I'll go crazy."

"You can't tell me you actually enjoy this lifestyle?" Kuwabara muttered.

Her gaze cut to the human member of their team. "You're telling me that if you had to return to a normal life, you wouldn't get bored? After living like this for so long? Normal human life would get tiring. And if I don't use my powers, they will vanish. Why do you think mikos no longer exist here? They stopped using their abilities."

"These demons may have been easy but there are stronger ones out there. Stronger ones that wouldn't hesitate if they found out you are our weakness." Yusuke stated, all playfulness gone.

Kagome rolled her eyes and closed the distance between them, draping her arms over his shoulders. "I know you're only saying that because you're worried. Even though you know very well that I can protect myself. But can you think about it from my side too? I worry about you and the others too. Once my mission is over, if I'm left behind all I'll do is worry."

Kurama watched as Yusuke's resolve quickly melted away. His step sister held some serious power over the detective if she could manipulate him so easily. Though he had to admit, human life would be extremely boring. He understood where Kagome was coming from and in his opinion, as long as she was within sight, he was confident that between the four of them, they could easily keep her safe in most any situation. And if a Sensui incident occured once more, he knew they could convince the miko to stay with Genkai and keep their loved ones safe.

"I hate you." Yusuke muttered under his breath.

Kagome couldn't hold back her smile as she leaned up to place a kiss on his cheek. "The complete opposite actually." She said before stepping away from him once more and turning her attention to Kurama. "You heading home or Koenma's?"

"Koenma's then home. You coming along?"

She shook her head as she started making her way back toward the city. "I'll see you at home later. I have some errands to run." She stated before leveling Yusuke and Kuwabara with a glare. "And if I catch you two following me through town again..."

A smirk pulled at Yusuke's lips as his gaze locked with hers. "Or what? Please finish that threat because I might follow anyway just so you can punish me for it later."

A blush heated her cheeks as she turned sharply and continued toward town. "I'm warning you Yusuke."

He rolled his eyes and pulled his communicator from his pocket.

Kagome tried her best to keep the blush from engulfing her entire face as her gaze dragged over the clothing racks. She'd decided that Yusuke deserved something special for being so patient with her after the horrible way she'd treated him all this time. Sango helped her decide that she would take their relationship to the next level and although the miko wasn't intending to rush things, she wanted to get something just for him to enjoy. And seeing as he was one of the biggest perverts she knew aside from Miroku, Kagome decided to stop at Victoria's Secret for a new sexy pair of underwear. She wasn't looking for anything fancy and over the top, just a matching bra and panties that could wow him. After spending over an hour trying on different items, she finally decided on a lacy green set. With her shopping done, she quickly made her way home and straight up to her room. Hiding the bag in her closet, she jumped slightly when she heard a knock at her door. Closing her closet, she cracked her bedroom door open only to seen Kokoda.

"Mom made dinner, I saved you some in the microwave."

She smiled and ruffled the boys hair as she stepped out of her room. "You're the best Kokoda. Are you busy tomorrow?"

He shook his head. "I have a school project I have to work on with a classmate but I can always make time for you sis."

Kagome felt her heart warm at his words. He reminded her so much of Souta sometimes... "Let's go have breakfast at that pancake place down the street?" she asked as she made her way toward the kitchen.

He grinned from ear to ear and followed her. "I've been wanting to go there!"

"Perfect, should we invite your brother?"

He nodded. "I would love to have breakfast with my brother and sister."

She nodded and smiled evily. "We'll have him pay."

Kokoda laughed and walked over to the microwave. Starting the timer, he reached into the cabinet beside the sink and handed his sister a glass. "You seem... better, Kagome."

The miko pulled her step brother into a hug. "I am better. Much better. Thanks to you."

"And Shuuichi. And Yusuke." He piped up, struggling against her hold when she began playfully ruffling his hair again.

"Yes, thanks to all of you. I miss my family still but I am thankful to have all of you in my life."

"Speaking of Yusuke." a sly grin appeared on the boys face as he removed her food from the microwave. "How's that going?"

A blush tinted her cheeks as her mind wandered to the purchase she'd made earlier. "Fine... why do you ask?"

"I saw you walking in with a bag from Victoria's Secret." he smirked knowingly.

"Kokoda! How do you know what that store is?!" her eyes wide as she stared at her younger step brother.

He shrugged. "I've never been inside before but I've passed it by. And theres commercials on tv all the time. Kinda hard _not_ to know what's in that store. So you like him huh?" He teased.

She glared at the boy as Kurama casually entered the kitchen. "I'd say she more than just likes Yusuke."

Kagome gaped at the avatar before batting his arm with her hand. "Shut up."

He chuckled. "It was Kokoda's idea for Yusuke to kiss you."

Her wide eyes turned to their little brother as he laughed. "He was going about it all wrong. The guy needed some serious help. And I knew you liked him, you were just being stubborn. I knew Yusuke could help get your mind off of... you know." he trailed off, not wanting to mention her deceased family thinking it would sadden her.

She huffed as she took a bite of her dinner. "You are both terrible. Totally related to each other." she grumbled.

Kurama rested his hand on her shoulder with a smile. "We just want you to be happy Kagome."

"Yea! Oh so we're going to that pancake house down the street tomorrow morning! And you're buying." Kokoda turned his grin to the red head.

His brow arched playfully. "Oh am I?"

Kagome nodded. "Yup."

He rolled his eyes. "Spoiled sibilings."

"Maybe we should invite Yusuke too." Kokoda teased, causing Kagome to nearly choke on her food.

Kurama snickered but shook his head. "There's no way I'm paying for his meal. He'll eat everything on the menu."

"I'm sure he'll be plenty satisfied after he sees what sis has in store for him." Kokoda muttered, trying to resist his giggles.

Kagome's face turned beet red as she tried to reach across the counter to smack her younger brother. The boy leapt away with a squeal of laughter and dashed up the stairs. "I'm going to kill you Kokoda!" she groaned, purposefully ignoring the curious look Kurama was pinning her with. Quickly shoveling the rest of her food into her mouth, she moved to the sink to clean her dish before disappearing upstairs. Kurama rolled his eyes at her antics. She was definitely acting differently around them. He imagined this was how she usually was, before her family was killed. Playful, loving, and a bit of a spitfire. He smiled to himself as he too made his way to his room. If they were indeed going to have breakfast in the morning, he was certain Kokoda would be waking them up quite early.

A/N:

That wraps this up. Finally Kagome is starting to really open up to her present time family. Poor Yusuke deserves some lovin don't you guys think? *sly grin* well don't worry, it's coming. Probably not in the next few chapters but there will be a little bit of lemons to satifsy those of you that have been waiting for it! I know i have lol. And lets be real... Yusuke can be just so damn sexy. Our little miko can only resist him for so long... so R&R :)

~*Icyfire*~

Next chapter: Light in the Dark


	18. Light in the Dark

Light Within the Darkness

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho... though a girl can dream can't she?

Chapter Eighteen: Light in the Dark

After spending the morning with her step brothers at the pancake house down the street from their home, Kagome and Kurama dropped Kokoda off at home before making their way to Genkai's. Kurama contacted Hiei on their way to request that he meet them there for training. Once they arrived, the siblings spared while they waited for the hybrid to arrive. Kagome enjoyed training with Kurama but she knew he couldn't push her as hard as the apparition could. Her brother couldn't harm her intentionally, even to help her in her training. He did push her harder than Yusuke but the injuries she sustained from the red head were nothing compared to the beatings Hiei would dish her. With her fighting skills improving so quickly, she needed more practice with her healing, it was quickly becoming her weakest ability because of how much energy it drained. She needed to learn how to control her energy, use as little of it as she could while she fought so she could reserve it for healing. She quickly found through all her training that healing herself was far more tiring than healing others. The miko's line of thought was severed when she sensed danger quickly approaching from her left. Swiftly dodging away from not only Kurama's attack but also her new opponent, she changed up her stance and focused her gaze on Hiei.

The hybrid snorted as he stood beside her brother, throwing the avatar a bored look. "Are you even trying? She doesn't have a scratch on her."

Kurama shrugged. "She's getting better."

"I _have_ improved over these past few weeks." she muttered.

"Then show me."

Kagome quickly blocked his attack, knowing the hybrid would charge her straight on. Hearing his katana being unsheathed, she pulled her wakizashi from her boots. Parring every strike thrown at her, she manuvered to the left and spun around the hybrid, attempting to land an attack on his back. He easily dodged her and assaulted her with swift strikes of his katana, faster than he had delivered toward her before. He felt satisfaction fill him as he watched the miko gracefully dodge and block each of his swings. She surely had improved. They continued their spar for a little over an hour, pushing the woman to the limits of her stamina. The moment Hiei sensed she was slowing, he paused his attacks. Kagome watched him carefully as he sheathed his katana and stared down at her with a look she didnt quite recognize... not from Hiei anyway. He almost looked proud of her.

"We will try something different today." He stated as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Okay..." she sighed, using this little break to catch her breath. That was the hardest Hiei had ever pushed her. If she wasn't mistaken, he was actually putting effort into that spar. She smirked internally. ' _Told you I've improved.'_

The hybrid rolled his eyes. "Yes onna, you have. But not nearly enough."

The miko huffed in annoyance. Just when she thought he was going to praise her for once, he had to go a ruin the moment. "What are we trying then?"

"You will heal yourself while we spar."

She remained silent for a moment before a laugh bubbled from her. "I'm sorry I must have heard you wrong."

"You heard correctly. You will use your healing powers during our spar. Each wound you fail to heal before I manage to injure you again will add another twenty minutes to our spar. We will not stop until all of your wounds are healed in a timely manner."

"Are you insane? I can barely concentrate when I use my healing abilites. How do you expect me to heal _and_ defend myself from _you_?"

"Better figure it out quick."

That was her only warning before the hybrid rushed her. Acting quickly, she dodged his claws before they could tear through her skin. Perhaps if she remained on her toes and didn't get a single injury she wouldn't even have to use her healing during this spar. She smirked to herself as she watched Hiei's movements closely. She'd gotten through their previous spar without a single scratch, she was confident she could do so again. Just as that thought crossed her mind, she felt the hybrid's blade cut across her thigh. Looking down at her leg, she groaned. She'd been paying attention! How did he possible get her?

"I will no longer hold back onna. Be prepared."

The miko whimpered to herself as she watched his speed increase far past what she'd seen before. There was no way he was this powerful... he was holding back that much for her? Groaning, she blocked his next attack with much effort.

 _'Heal that wound onna, unless you want this to last all day.'_

His katana cut across her arm and she growled in annoyance. Trying to keep most of her focus on the hybrid, she called forth her healing and worked on repairing the damage he'd inflicted. Their training continued until sundown and Yusuke was surprised when Yukina called him so late. Kurama was impressed his sister lasted as long as she did. Clearly it was very difficult for her to fight and heal simultaniously. After several hours of unsuccessfully trying to completely heal her wounds before Hiei could inflict any more, she finally collapsed from exhaustion. Just as Yusuke cleared the steps of shrine, he could see Hiei reaching a hand down to the miko to help her to her feet. Allowing his gaze to examine his miko, he was confused to see barley any wounds.

"Hiei is pushing her to improve her healing abilities. He ordered her to heal her wounds during their spar. She may not have many physical wounds today but she is extremely exhausted." Kurama explained, falling into step beside the detective as they made their way to Kagome and Hiei.

They could clearly see her legs were shaking. Hiei glanced toward them and nodded breifly before disappearing from sight. Calling out her thanks to the departing hybrid, Kagome turned a tired smile to them. "I'm beat."

Yusuke rolled his eyes at her as he lifted her into his arms and kissed her cheek softly. "Yea, you can barely stand."

She yawned."I'm fine."

Yusuke chuckled at her before turning his gaze to Kurama. "You mind if I borrow her for a few hours?"

Kurama shrugged and focused his gaze on Kagome. "Kagome?"

She stared between the two before snuggling closer to Yusuke's warmth. "If you don't mind Kurama."

He shook his head. "Of course not. I'll head on home and see you later tonight." he sais before departing. Kagome smiled after her step brother before turning a curious stare up to the detective that was now slowly carrying her toward the temple stairs. "So where are we going?"

"My house. I have a surprise for you." He grinned.

"What kind of surprise?"

He shook his head at her. "You'll find out when we get there."

Huffing obnoxiously loud, she settled for taking a short nap for the ride home in the comfort of Yusuke's arms. Before long, he was pushing the door open with his foot and gently setting her down on the couch. Being able to rest and restore some of her energy on the trip there, she didn't feel ready to pass out as she had half an hour ago. Stretching her arms over her head, she turned to Yusuke as he sat on the couch beside her. Grabbing the controller to his xbox, he turned it on.

"So whats this surprise?" she murmured. She watched as a smirk pulled at his lips before he handed her the controller and nodded his head toward the television. Focusing her gaze on the screen, she noticed there was no longer two usernames on the console. Between Yusuke and Kuwabara's icons sat a third icon, her name below it. Kagome felt warmth flood through her as she stared at the username. He'd made her a sign in on his xbox... just for her. She would always play on Yusuke's profile whenever she was over, never really putting any thought into making her own. After the death of her family, playing games made her feel somewhat closer to the brother she'd lost. Turning her gaze to the detective, ready to throw her arms around him, she stopped when she saw he was holding a small black box out to her. Her eyes widened as he opened the box to reveal a beautiful ring with a shimmering sapphire.

"It's a promise ring, don't freak out." he murmured, watching her carefully. He didn't want to scare the miko and end up chasing after her as she ran away from him like a bat out of hell. "It's a symbol of my love and devotion to you. And that no matter what, I will always wait for you to come back to me."

She was speechless. Yusuke got her a promise ring... she wasn't sure there was much else the detective could do to make her fall any deeper in love with him. Tears stung her eyes as she took the ring and set it down on the couch beside her. Wrapping her arms around him, she kissed him softly. Pulling away enough to stare into his eyes, she smiled as a tear trailed down her cheek. "I love you Yusuke."

She watched his eyes light up as he grinned like mad. "You have no idea how good it feels to hear those words from you."

She rolled her eyes at him as she wiped away her tears. "I have an idea..."

Winking at her, he reached past her to take the ring out of the box. Gently taking her hand in his, he slipped it onto her finger before kissing her hand. "I got the sapphire cause it reminds me so much of your eyes." he murmured.

"Who would've thought that Yusuke Urameshi could be such a romantic." she laughed as she stared down at her hand. It was a perfect fit and she loved the gem he'd chosen.

He snorted. "Don't tell anyone ok? It'll wreck my reputation I've worked so hard to build."

"How the mighty have fallen." she teased.

"You are my only weakness... I would do anything for you Kagome."

She felt a blush burn her cheeks. Suddenly feeling self conscious, she remembered she hadn't cleaned up at all after training and probably smelt terrible. "I uh... I should shower..."

Chuckling softly at her sudden shyness, he planted a kiss on her cheek. "You can use my shower if you want."

Weighing her options, she slowly nodded. "If you don't mind..."

"Why would I mind you getting naked in my shower? That's like a dream come true." He winked at her, enjoying the blush that was now engulfing her face. Taking her hand in his, he carressed her fingers softly. "You could spend the night too if you want..."

Kagome focused her gaze on the detective as he fiddled nervously with her fingers.

"I'll behave of course. I just want to spend a night with you in my arms again." he continued quickly, hoping she wasn't jumping to conclusions.

The miko smiled softly. Squeezing his hand in hers slightly, she stood from the couch. "You'll have to call Kurama and let him know I'm not coming home tonight."

He nodded vigorously, his excitment growing. "Of course."

"And I'll need clothes to sleep in." she added as she began toward the bathroom.

He shot to his feet and followed behind her, taking a detour into his room to gather her some of his clothes to wear after her shower as well as a towel. Making his way to the bathroom, he knocked on the door softly. The door creaked open and he nearly dropped the items in his hands as he stared wide eyed at the woman. Standing there in only her bra and panties, his miko threw him a teasing smile, took the clothes from his arms, and closed the door. The sound of the shower turning on pulled him from his stupor. Hurrying to the living room, he quickly turned on a game to distract his mind from what he'd just seen. If he allowed his thoughts to wander, he'd end up in the shower with Kagome. Pulling his communicator from his pocket while he waited for the game to load, he contacted Kurama.

"Hey , Kagome is going to be spending the night." he said once the avatar popped up onto the screen.

Kurama's eyes narrowed as he glared at Yusuke through the device. "Yusuke."

"Relax, I'm not going to pull anything. I just want to wake up to see her there with me." he mumbled. "Promise I'll behave. Plus I don't want to do that until this whole battle thing is over. I want something to look forward to, for both her and I."

Kurama sighed heavily but nodded. "Alright. Take care of her Yusuke."

"Like I wouldn't even if you didn't tell me to." he snorted before snapping his comunicator shut.

Kagome woke with the rising sun. Stretching, she turned to see Yusuke sound asleep beside her. Unable to stop the smile that spread across her face, she quietly crawled out bed and crept toward the door. Making her way to the kitchen, she went about starting breakfast. Gazing down at the beautiful ring on her finger, her mind replayed the previous night. After her shower the night before, her and Yusuke spent a few hours playing video games together before he dragged her to his bedroom. To her surprise, he stuck to his word and didn't try anything with her. He'd taken his shirt off, crawled into bed beside her and pulled her close to cuddle. And within minutes, he was out cold. Feeling her exhaustion from training early finally catch up to her again, she fell asleep soon after the detective. Before allowing sleep to take over, she decided she'd wake up early and make her love breakfast. It was the least she could do after all he'd done for her.

She jumped slightly when she felt a pair of arms wrap around her from behind, and a warm body press up against her back. "That's the second time I've gone to sleep with you in my arms and woken up to find you gone." he whined.

She rolled her eyes. "At least this time I'm still here."

He shrugged as he nuzzled her neck. "True. And breakfast?"

"You deserve it."

"For being an awesome boyfriend? Yea, I'd say I definitely deserve it." he teased. Playfully bumping her butt against his crotch, she laughed when she heard his groan. She nearly dropped the spatula she was holding when the detecive pulled her hips back against him and brushed his lips along the skin of her neck. "Don't play like that Kagome... morning wood is the worst." he murmured against her skin. She could easily feel his erection against her butt and it made her shiver. He abruptly pulled away and made a beeline out of the kitchen. Hearing the shower turn on, she laughed softly. Her thoughts wandering to the clothes she bought from Victoria's Secret, she debated when she would have the chance to wear them. After having breakfast together, Yusuke walked Kagome to Genkai's where Kurama and Hiei awaited to begin her training for the day.

Curious of how much she'd improved over the past several weeks, the detective decided to stay and watch for once. Although he still cringed each time Hiei would land an attack on his miko, he could clearly see she was much better. Her reflexes were faster, her stamina was much stronger, and she now fought like an experienced fighter. Although it was clear she struggled to use her healing abilities while engaged in battle, within several hours she was showing slight improvements. Whenever he'd kept the miko company while she would heal her wounds from training, she'd always needed to focus completely on the task. Now she was gradually gaining more control of the power and was able to heal shallow cuts without losing complete focus of Hiei. Deeper wounds were clearly still a struggle, she sustained several injuries while she attempted to heal anything more than a mere cut. After pushing the miko to her limits once more and cringing when she finally exerted the last of her strength, Hiei returned his katana to it's sheath.

"You are improving, but slowly."

"It's not as easy as it sounds!" She snapped, glaring up at the hybrid as she tried to catch her breath. She attempted to stand but gave up when she realized her legs were shaking far to much to hold her weight.

"We will resume tomorrow, same time."

She glared up at the hybrid in annoyance. "I'm not getting anywhere with this Hiei!"

He met her glare with one of his own. Unsheathing his katana, he swiftly shoved the miko onto her back before driving the blade right through her shoulder. Yusuke was on the move in an instant, his rage over the sight causing his demonic traits to push forth. Kurama quickly grabbed the detective's shoulder, eyeing the tattoos that could now faintly be seen on his skin. "Remain calm Yusuke."

"How the hell am I supposed to stay calm when that bastard just stabbed Kagome!?" he snarled, his hair gradually gaining length.

"Hiei is trying to prove a point. She believes she isn't improving, but look." he stated, nodding toward the pair.

Yusuke ripped his gaze from Kurama to focus on his girlfriend and comrade. His eyes widened slightly in surprise when he saw the blue hue that licked at Hiei's blade. And she didn't seem to be crying out in pain, instead she was glaring angrily up at the hybrid that stood over her.

"You are a handicap to yourself. You do not realize the extent of your improvement. A month ago if I had attacked you in this same manner, you would have fainted from the mere pain. But there you lay, seeming to barely feel my blade _and_ your powers are already beginning to heal you."

The miko said nothing as his words sunk in. She hadn't even realized her healing powers were already activated and waiting to fix her the moment he removed his blade. He was right. Although it was extremely painful to have his katana pinning her to the ground, it wasn't unbearable. She realized then the reasoning behind Hiei's odd way of training. Not only did he push her so hard and injure her so deeply so that she would work harder to avoid his attacks, he was training her body to endure pain. And now with him pushing her to use her healing during their spars, he was forcing her body to become accustomed to healing itself the moment she was injured. If she could subconsciously heal her wounds during battle, the miko could be unstoppable. Until her energy was spent anyway. Which was the other reason Hiei forced her to train until she collapsed. Her body would eventually figure out the most energy efficiant way to keep going as long as possible. She couldn't deny that she was able to spar much longer that day than the previous.

"Stop thinking so lowly of yourself onna. You are powerful, embrace it. If you believe yourself to be weak, you will be." he growled before swiftly pulling his katana from her shoulder.

Yusuke was at her side in a matter of seconds, fusing over her injuries before turning a glare to the hybrid. "If you pull that shit again I'll kill you Hiei."

He snorted. "Your mate is fine detective, she will remain weak if you coddle her."

"What is this?" Kagome murmured, reaching up to touch the ink that was gradually fading from Yusuke's skin.

"His demonic side did not take lightly to Hiei's treatment toward you." Kurama piped up as he kneeled on the miko's other side. "But Hiei is right, you are strong. You just have to believe in that strength."

The miko groaned as she pushed the last of her energy into the wound, surprised to see new skin cover the gaping hole. _'Guess my healing powers are stronger than I realized...'_ Pushing herself to sit up, she rolled her eyes when Yusuke attempted to help her. "I'm fine Yusuke." she murmured before focusing her gaze on him. His hair was longer than usual, almost past his shoulders, and the tattoos she'd seem were still slightly visible. "So you have enough demon blood to shift into a demonic form?"

He shrugged. "Not much of a change. My hair gets longer and a few tattoos pop up. Aside from fangs and claws, thats about it."

Hiei scoffed as he watched the miko slowly rise to her feet. _'Perhaps I am going to easy on you onna, that wound barley seemed to faze you.'_

Kagome felt panic rush through her as she looked to where Hiei was standing only to find him long gone. "No! It hurt like all hell! I was just so mad at you I wasn't focused on the pain. It still hurts!" she yelled into the trees. Whining to herself, she turned to Yusuke and buried her face in his shoulder. "He's going to kill me before the battle even starts."

Chuckling softly, the detective wrapped his arms around her in a hug. "You'll be fine. Hiei is too fond of you now to kill you."

"He might be worst than Naraku." she whimpered.

"He pushes you this hard because he cares. And we allow him to push you this hard because we care." Kurama piped up.

"Yea... but if he stabs her again..." a growl rumbled in Yusuke's chest at the mere thought.

"He might do worse than that now that he knows I can take an injury like that." she muttered as she felt her exhaustion beginning to weigh her down. She pulled away from Yusuke's embrace before she fell asleep in the comfort of his arms. Smiling up at her boyfriend, she kissed his softly before linking her arm through Kurama's and marching toward the temple steps. "See you at school tomorrow Yusuke."

After school, the boys walked Kagome to Genkai's for her training that evening. When the sun began to set, the hybrid halted their spar and instructed the miko to get rest and prepare for training the next day. Yusuke asked Kagome if she would spend the night with him again but she declined, using her desire to see Kokoda as an excuse. Promising the detective she would spend the folowing night with him, she kissed him goodnight before making her way home with her step brother. In reality, she wanted to go home so she could pack a bag for her night at Yusuke's. A bag that she could stuff her new bra and panties at the bottom of and attempt to surprise her boyfriend later in the night. She also wanted time to mentally prepare herself for what she was about to do. She was going to let Yusuke completely into her heart. She was going to give herself to him in every way to show him just how much she loved and trusted him. The miko was pulled from her thoughts when Kurama pushed the front door open for her and Kokoda peeked his head out from the kitchen. Kagome quickly noticed the nervous look on his face and groaned internally. That look could only mean one thing: her father hadn't gone to work that day.

Moving quickly, she made her way up to her room and nearly swore out loud when she heard her father fast on her heels. Ignoring him, she reached for her doorknob and cringed when she heard him call her name. They hadn't spoken since her outburst several weeks ago and she didn't want to know what else he could possibly want to say to her. She'd made very clear that she did not want to communicate with him and yet there he stood, several feet from her and softly asking her to wait and hear him out.

"Please Kagome, give me a chance. Let me expla-"

"There is nothing to be explained _._ I already told you, my father died the day he left us and never returned." she snapped before shoving her door open and slamming it shut in his face. She was about to make her way toward her closet to pack her sleep over bag when something being slipped under her door caught her eye. Gazing down at the envolope, she clenched her jaw when she saw the handwriting. Her blood boiling, she kicked the envolope back under her door before stomping toward her closet.

Kurama just cleared the stairs as he spotted his step father kneeling in frong of Kagome's door to pick up an envolope from the ground. His shoulders hung low in defeat, he trudged toward the stairs, forcing a smile on his face as he slid past him. "Father..."

"She wont even give me a chance to explain... I don't know what else to do." he murmured. Kurama felt pity for the man. He didn't know the whole story but he could clearly see the situation was tearing the man apart. And that he regretted his past with his family before meeting Shiori.

"What is the letter?"

"If she wouldn't hear my words, I had hoped she would read them... but clearly she loathes the mere sight of me."

Kurama stared at the broken man before him and sighed heavily. Reaching his hand toward his step father, he gestured for him to hand over the letter. "I will do my best to get her to read it."

The hope that sparked in his eyes cut straight into Kurama's heart as he placed the envolope in his hand. "Thank you son..."

Nodding slightly, he retreated to his bedroom. Setting the letter down on his night stand, the avatar let out a groan as he fell back onto his mattress. He knew exactly where to put the letter for Kagome to find it away from home. If he stashed it in her travel bag, she would find it during her time in the fuedal era. He just hoped she wouldnt become angry with him for sticking his nose in her business with their father. He couldn't force her to read it, but he could get the letter within her grasp for one more try. Another sigh escaped him as he visualized Kagome finding the letter and merely tossing it in her campfire. Sitting up, he pulled a pen from his night stand drawer. He wrote _'Hear him out please.'_ below where his step father had written her name.

Kagome stretched her arms over her head as she exited school grounds. Waiting patiently for Yusuke and Kurama, she groaned when she saw the apologetic look on their faces. "Don't tell me; Koenma called?"

"Sorry babe, it's a quick mission though. Shouldn't take us more than a few hours." Yusuke grinned, pulling her into his arms.

She sighed. "So much for training today. And I'm definitely not going home after what happened last night..." she muttered, almost low enough that they couldn't hear.

Yusuke sent Kurama a questioning glance but the avatar merely shook his head, signaling he would explain later. Reaching into his pocket, the detective took her hand and gave the woman his house keys. "Go to my place. You're spending the night there anyway tonight." he winked.

A blush tinted her cheeks as she secured her backpack on her shoulder. Nodding slightly, she leaned up to kiss the detective before kissing her step brother on the cheek. "Be safe. I'll see you tomorrow at school Kurama."

The avatar smiled and nodded before following Yusuke to the back of their school where she was sure Botan was waiting with a portal. Glancing down at the keys in her hand, she felt butterflies flutter in her stomach. Her blush still in place, she made her way to the detective's house and was thankful that his mother was still convienently out of town. She remembered Yusuke saying she was visiting family in America so it didn't surprise her that the woman was gone for such a long time. Once inside, she dropped her bag beside the couch and plopped down on the cushion. Sighing heavily, she stared at the ceiling for some time before reaching for her bag. Digging to the very bottom, she pulled out her new bra and panties. Making her way to Yusuke's room, she took a shirt and pair of gym shorts from his dresser before making her way to the bathroom. After a quick shower, she put on her new bra and panties before pulling her boyfriend's shirt and shorts on and returning to the living room. Having grabbed the xbox controller while she was in his room, she turned on the console and logged onto her profile for the first time. Glancing down at the ring on her finger, just as she always did when she thought of Yusuke and felt her heart swell with love, she couldn't stop the smile that pulled at her lips. When the detective returned from his mission, she would make it a night they'd both never forget.

Yusuke yawned as he made his way toward the front door. It was already dark out, hours past the time they'd expected to be done with their mission. Kurama walked with him halfway before venturing off toward his own home, being sure to remind him to take care of his step sister while she was in his care. He snorted as he pulled out the spare key he'd made and intended to give to Kagome after the final battle. Quietly pushing the door open, he was startled when the miko suddenly yelled 'Nice try camper!'. Feeling a smile pull at his lips, he removed his shoes and made his way to the living room. Leaning against the doorway, he watched his woman shoot down three enemies before being sniped. The volume on the television was almost as loud as he would keep it when he played and he breifly wondered if the miko had been playing the whole time he was gone.

Sensing Yusuke's presence, Kagome glanced behind her and threw the detective a smile before focusing on her game once more. "How was the mission?"

"Tiring, though I could get used to coming home to this every day." He mumbled as he moved to the couch to kiss the miko on her cheek. "I'm going to shower."

"Good, you stink." she teased.

"Yea love you too." he retaliated, smirking when he spotted the blush on her cheeks before he rounded the corner. After his shower, he wrapped a towel around his waist and made his way to his bedroom. He pulled on a pair of boxers and grabbed the second controller before rejoining the miko in the living room. "Let's play zombies for a bit."

She nodded. "We can't stay up to late though, school tomorrow."

He rolled his eyes. "You don't have to use school as an excuse to get me into bed babe."

Kagome's cheeks burned with the heat of her blush. Did he know what her plan was? Was she being to obvious? She fiddled with her controller as he set up the game. "You wish pervert." she finally managed to spit out.

"True, but you're sleeping with me tonight anyway so wishing isn't necessary." he winked, noticing her fidgeting. "You ok?"

She forced a smile and nodded. "Perfectly fine, just a bit tired."

"Were you playing games the entire time I was gone?"

She shrugged. "There wasn't anything else I could do."

"I'm sorry it took us so long." Yusuke muttered, leaning over to kiss her softly. "I didn't mean to leave you here with nothing to do."

"Shut up Yusuke, you know I would much rather be here than home." she huffed, the mere thought of her father already riling her up.

Yusuke nodded slowly, recalling what Kurama had told him about their latest encounter. It seemed the man was trying to make amends with Kagome but she still refused to hear it. With how stubborn she was, and how deeply her father had hurt her, he wouldn't be surprised if it took her years to consider forgiving him. Glancing at her from the corner of his eye, he could see her jaw clenched and knew she was still irriated over the recent incident. He pulled her into his lap and nuzzled her neck, deciding it would be best not to poke at the tender subject. "Let's play a bit and go to sleep. Sound good?"

She nodded and they started the game. After several hours, they finally called it quits and Kagome stood from the couch to stretch. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a toothbrush and disappeared into the bathroom. Yusuke turned off the console and returned the controllers to the charging dock in his bedroom before he hear Kagome exit the bathroom. He could hear her pouring herself a glass of water in the kitchen as he went to the bathroom to brush his teeth as well. Once he was ready for bed, the detective made sure all the lights were off in the house before making his way to the bedroom. Closing the door behind him and turning off the light, he crawled under the covers beside his miko. Rolling over, he wrapped his arms around her and felt his eyes widen. Spreading his hands across the bare skin he felt, he slowly pulled the woman closer to him before lifting the blanket. He felt his boxers quickly growing tighter as she rolled toward him, blushing like mad, and wrapped her arms around him. He swallowed the lump in his throat as he gaze traveled down the her breasts, covered in a sexy green bra.

Unable to resist, he pressed his lips against hers. His hands gradually trailed up her body until he gently took her breasts in his hands, groaning to himself when she returned his kiss full force. Moving himself on top of her, he deepened the kiss as his hands traveled her body, caressing her every curve. She moaned softly when he roughly grabbed her backside and ground his hips against her, allowing her to feel just how much he desired her. Kagome combed her hands through his hair before moving her hands to his chest. Allowing herself to enjoy the perfect cuts of his muscles, she slowly trailed her fingers down to the waistband of his boxers. Slowly pushing them down, she was surprised when Yusuke took her hands in his and pinned them above her head. Breaking their kiss, he winked down at her and kissed her on the nose before rolling to lay beside her. Turning to him in confusion, she was about to speak but he beat her to it.

"Believe me, I want to. It took every ounce of control I have to resist... specially with you wearing _that_ and in my favorite color."

"Then why are you resisting? I want this Yusuke... I want us to have a night we will never forget. I want to show you how much I love you..."

He smiled and kissed her once more. "I want to save this for after the battle. I want something for us to look forward to. The fact that you are willing to go this far to show me how much you care for me, it means a lot Kagome. I want our first time to be special, and what better way to celebrate the defeat of Naraku than this special moment?"

She sighed but nodded. "And I was really getting into it too..." she pouted.

Yusuke rolled his eyes and pressed his lips against the top of her breasts. "I was too, a little to much. Why are you so sexy?"

She blushed and shrugged. "There are prettier fish in the sea."

"Not in my eyes. You are the only fish in my ocean."

"If only the others knew how much of a sap you can be." The miko teased, laughing when he pouted at her comment. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me."

"And yours is safe with me."

"Mine?"

He smirked. "The secret that you're more perverted than I am. I never expected to come to bed with you dolled up on my favorite color and ready to get down and dirty. Not yet anyway."

She slapped his shoulder. "I was trying to return my affection! After all I put you through, you still remained by my side and tried to show me you cared. And then the xbox account and the ring... I wanted to give you something in return. I wanted to show you how much I appreciate you Yusuke... how much I love you."

He planted a kiss on her forehead before pulled her to snuggle against his chest. "You have given me something in return. You give me hope for a future, something I never dreamed of before. I never thought I would find someone that would understand and accept me for who and what I am. You've shown me true love. I may be nervous about this battle you'll have to face without me but I'm confident that you will fight with everything you have to get back to me. Because I know you want to see what our future will be like too."

She smiled as she snuggled against his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I will... I will return to you no matter what it takes."

"That's what I like to hear babe. Now get some rest. I love you."

"I love you too Yusuke..."

A/N:

Awwwww who wouldve thought that Yusuke could be such a romantic?! They're so cute together. I don't know why there aren't more Yusuke/Kagome pair fics. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Youko and Hiei. But their personalities are so much different from Yusuke, so its a different way to write their pairings. With Yusuke pairings, I almost feel there can be more mushy lovey parts because he's more human and to me, just seems sweet like that. He may act tough but we all know deep down Yusuke's just a big lover. Hope you all enjoyed the chapter! Kagome is getting stronger but is she strong enough to take on Naraku's army yet? And how is Kurama going to get Kagome to read her father's letter? You'll just have to wait and see! R&R :)

~*Icyfire*~


	19. Second Chance

Light Within the Darkness

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho... though a girl can dream can't she?

Chapter Nineteen: Second Chance

Yusuke aimlessly made his way toward school, so lost in his thoughts he barely navigated around the people that crowded the sidewalk. He shuddered as his mind again pulled the image of Kagome asleep beside him, only dressed in her green under clothes, to the forefront of his mind. That image would be forever branded into his memory. He'd woken up nearly an hour before her, happy to awake to see her still laying beside him for once. The pure joy and love he felt swell in his chest as he watched her sleep nearly overwhelmed him. His thoughts then traveled to the impending battle... The mere thought of losing Kagome made his chest ache painfully.

"Yusuke!"

The detective was pulled from his thoughts when Kurama's voice reached his ears. Waiting for the avatar to catch up, they continued on to school in silence. It seemed Kurama noticed how deep in thought he'd been. "Did you see Kagome before she left?" Yusuke muttered, breaking the silence.

He nodded. "What made her decide to go to the past today?"

The detective shrugged. "Said she just wanted to check on the others and she'd be back in a day."

"How was last night?"

Yusuke stiffened slightly, picturing his miko nearly naked beside him. "Fine."

The kitsune's eyes narrowed. "Yusuke."

He groaned. "She was down. So down. But I told her no because I wanted to make it special and have something to look forward to. She didn't seem mad or hurt but this morning she was so quiet. I feel like an idiot."

Kurama remained silent, not quite sure what to say in response. He never would have expected the miko would attempt to take her relationship with Yusuke to the next level while the final battle loomed in the near future. Thinking of it from a different perspective though, he understood why she'd made the decision. She was going to fight tooth and nail to survive the fight but in the event that she didn't, she wanted to give herself to Yusuke entirely. Fully open her heart to him and show the detective just how much he meant to her. He understood her reasoning but it still surprised him. Who would've thought the innocent little miko had it in her? "Perhaps she's embarassed."

"Of what?"

"That she put herself out there and you said no. Or perhaps that she didn't know of any other way to show you how much you matter to her."

He groaned. It wouldn't surprise him if that was how the miko felt. He would have to make it up to her when she returned. Glancing at the avatar from the corner of his eye, he smiled slightly. He was glad Kurama was so supportive and helpful with the situation. If he'd been left to figure Kagome out on his own, he would have lost any hope of being with her a long time ago.

Kagome took a deep breath the moment she arrived to the feudal era. She would never get tired of it's fresh air. Taking in her surroundings, she made her way toward where she knew her friends' camp would be. After nearly throwing her virginity away the previous night, she desperately needed to put herself somewhere Yusuke couldn't hunt her down. She wasn't angry that he'd denied her, the miko was ashamed that she had thought so lowly of such an event... something that should be special between them. She needed to recollect her thoughts before facing her boyfriend again, needed to think of how to apologize to him for not putting more thought into the next step of their relationship. Shaking her mind clear for the moment, she smiled and easily catching Shippo as she entered camp, turning her smile toward the monk and slayer who sat near the fire.

"Welcome back Kagome." Miroku returned her smile.

"How did it go?" Sango smirked, causing her friend to blush.

Miroku turned a curious look to the slayer, clearly not pleased with being out of the loop.

"I uh... we'll talk about it later." she muttered as she placed Shippo down. "Where is Inuyasha?"

"Scouting the perimeter. He caught the scent of severl demons passing through recently." Sango explained.

"Naraku's or strays?"

Miroku grimanced. "Both. The time for battle is near. Naraku is trying to see what we have set up here. Luckily for us Kouga, his wolves, and Inuyasha have kept them from getting too close."

"They are trying to keep our traps intact, would be a shame for all of our hard work and preparations to be foiled before the battle begun. We don't want a repeat of last time." Sango muttered, recalling the time several stray demons caught Kagome by surprise, forcing her to teleport home to avoid further injury. Kagome shuddered at the memory. That was when Yusuke finally found out the seriousness of her mission.

"So Kouga brought some of his pack?" the miko inquired, only now realizing what Miroku reported.

They both nodded. "Inuyasha went with Kouga to gather more forces. They returned with as many of his wolves e could spare and word that Sesshomaru will join us as well."

Kagome felt her eyes widen in surprise at the slayers words. "Inuyasha actually asked his brother for help?"

Miroku chuckled and shook his head. "Not quite. Lord Sesshomaru more or less announced he would join us whether Inuyasha liked it or not. He says he owes you for saving Rin on more that one occasion so this is his way of returning the debt owed."

"So he is here now?"

Shippo shook his head. "He is securing his lands and making sure Rin will be safe in his castle while he's away."

"Inuyasha says he will join us when Naraku makes his move." Sango stated.

"He must have been so happy to hear his brother would assist us." Kagome muttered, sarcasm lacing her voice.

Sango rolled her eyes. "He's been in a foul mood for days. Specially with Kouga and his pack insisting on helping scout and guard the area. You know how he is, he wants to do everything on his own."

"Inuyasha clearly appreciated the help though. Even he needs to rest in order to be at his best for this battle."

Kagome nodded. "He'll never admit it but I know he is relieved we have more allies." Just as she finished speaking, Ginta and Hakaku raced toward her from the surrounding brush.

"Sister Kagome!" She laughed as both wolves hugged her tightly.

"I'm surprised your're back wench. What with your new lover boy in your time." Inuyasha sneered as he entered the campsite, Kouga not far behind him.

The miko rolled her eyes at the hanyou's attempt to seem irriated. She knew him well enought to tell when he really was angered by something, but it wasn't centered around her. She could see past his scowl to the unease and worry that brewed within him. Pulling away from the two wolves still smothering her, she made her way out of camp, motioning Inuyasha to follow. She walked for some time, her eyes examining her surroundings and mentally taking note of the new traps her friends set. The hanyou fell into step beside her and she paused, focusing her gaze on his troubled golden eyes. Over the years she'd spent with Inuyasha, he'd gradually become an open book to her. She knew he was worried over the impending battle. That he was more concerned about her and the others than himself. She could feel the turmoil within him over all they'd lost recently. Her family meant a lot to him and Naraku had taken them. She knew it bothered the hanyou to no end that he couldn't travel to her time anymore and that he wouldn't be able to see the boy that stole her heart. She knew he wouldn't love her the way she once hoped he would but that didn't mean he wasn't fiercely protective of her. She was, after all, the first friend he ever had. She smiled up at him as he stared down at her in question.

"You will always be my best friend Inuyasha. No matter what happens or who stumbles into our lives, I will always be by your side. I will never break my promise to you."

The hanyou abruptly pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly in his embrace. Burying his nose in her hair, he sighed heavily. "You are everything to me Kagome. I don't know what I'll do if something happens to you. I just want you to be happy."

She smiled against the fabric of the fire rat he wore. "I'll be fine, all of us will."

He pulled away from her only to cross his arms over his chest. "Damn straight, I'm going to make sure all you weak humans make it through this."

She laughed at his determination and linked her arm through his, gradually leading them back to camp. "Of course you will Inuyasha."

"And that bastard better be treatin you right or I'll figure out a way back to your time just so I can kick his ass." he growled.

She laughed once more. "You have nothing to worry about, he has been great to me."

"Good. Anyone's better than the damn wolf." he snorted.

She rolled her eyes at his antics as they reentered the campsite and quickly gaining everyone's attention. "Is there anyone else we can recruit to our side or any other preparations that need to be done? We can use all the help we can get."

Kagome dug through her bag for her journal and the ramen she'd packed before returning to the feudal era. With Shippo already preparing the water, she opened the journal and stared in confusion at the envolope stuck between the pages. Recognizing the handwriting, she scowled and tossed it toward the fire. Glaring down at the journal, she slammed it shut and shoved it back into her pack. Kurama must have put the letter there knowing she'd find it. Not wanting to think about why her step brother would help her father, she focused her attention on the boiling water and noticed Sango picking up the envolope that apparently missed the fmales and landed near the slayers feet.

"What is this? Your name is written on it."

Her scowl still in place, she waved her hand dismissively. "It's from my father. Just burn it."

Instead of listening to the miko, she opened the envolope and began reading the letter. Not caring that her friend saw what her father wrote, she devoted her attention to finishing the ramen.

"Uh... Kagome I think you should read this." Sango murmured, her eyes still skimming over the words on the paper.

The miko snorted. "No thanks."

"But Kago-"

"No Sango. There is nothing he can possibly say that will change what he did." she snapped, now glaring into the fire before her.

"He's your father Kagome, give him a chance." she pleaded, extending the paper toward her.

Miroku's eyes widened in shock when Kagome smacked Sango's hand away, anger clear in her eyes. "I said no! He doesn't deserve a second chance! Not after abandoning his family!"

Rage flooded Sango's arua as she stood quickly. Fists balled at her sides, causing her to slightly crumple the letter, she stomped toward the miko. She forcefully shoved the letter against her chest, causing the miko to stumble onto her backside. Glaring down at her stubborn friend, she desperately held back her tears. "You WILL read that letter Kagome. Stop being a stubborn spoiled brat and hear him out! I don't care what happened between you two in the past, he is still your father! Do you know how much I wish I could at least SEE my father again? Much less hear his voice? Everyone makes mistakes, it's a part of life and being a human being. He's the only family you have left so read the damn letter and stop sulking!" she snarled before stomping out of camp.

Kagome sat frozen for a moment before turning her gaze slowly to Miroku. "Follow her... make sure she's alright."

The monk nodded and hurried after his slayer. Shippo gradually approached Kagome, resting a comforting hand on her knee. "She didn't mean to be so harsh..."

Kagome shook her head, staring down at the crumpling letter. "No... she's right. I've been selfish. I didn't even think about how deeply this would wound her. I should be thankful I even have a father..." she muttered before slowly standing. "Can you finish the ramen? I'm going to take a walk."

The kitsune nodded slowly as the miko pushed to her feet and aimlessly ventured in the opposite direction Sango and Miroku had disappeared in. She walked until the sound of running water reached her ears, drawing her to the small stream she was sure her friends were using as a water source. Finding a rather large boulder, she seated herself utop it before straightening out the paper in her hands and allowing her gaze to focus on her father's elegant handwriting.

 _Kagome,_

 _I know you are angry with me and if you are reading this, I hope that means you are willing to at least hear me out. I'm not going to try making excuses for my actions or expect you to forgive me but I believe you deserve to know the truth of what happened between your mother and I. There isn't a single day that has passed in the last ninteen years that I haven't regretted what I did. I bretrayed her in the worst way by laying with another woman. The day I lost your nother was the day I lost you and Souta as well. She told me to stay away and I respected her wishes; it was the least I could do after what I'd done to our family. Every year I would try to reach out and see how you and Souta were but she continued to push me away. I eventually gave up hope of ever seeing you kids again and tried to accept the concequences for my mistake. Then Shiori found me, she helped me become a better man, I don't know where I would be right now without her. When the police station informed me of what happened, I almost lost myself again until they told me you were alive and safe. I was a fool to think I could just step into your life and try to become the father I was supposed to be to you. When I first saw you after all these years, looking as beautiful as your mother was at your age, it took my breath away. I'm sorry for everything Kagome... I'm sorry for being a young fool and tearing our family apart. I'm sorry for breaking your mother's heart and betraying her trust. I'm sorry for making you and Souta grow up without a father. I understand you may never forgive me but I want you to know I love you. I've always loved you and no matter how deeply you despise me, I will always love you._

 _-Your Father_

Kagome wiped angrily at the tears that trailed down her cheeks. Crumpling the paper in her fist, she shoved it into her pocket before making her way back to camp. Relieved to see Shippo was the only one there still, she kissed him on the cheek and told him she would return in a few days to check on them again before reaching for her necklace and teleporting to her time. Finding herself in her backyard, she turned away from the house and mindlessly walked toward the home of the only person she desired to see at the moment. Despite the fact that she hadn't found the time to think over the events of the previous night, she didn't care. Yusuke was the only person that could keep her mind clear and help her decide what needed to be done. There was also Kurama but she was still slightly agitated with him for sneaking the letter into her bag. She could feel her anger growing the more she thought about the letter and what was written in it. Stomping up to the detective's door, she pounded her fist on the wood.

Yusuke whipped the door open, surprised to see his miko standing there radiating pure anger. Worried that the anger was directed toward him, he hesitantly opened the door wider to allow her to slip past him. She did so wordlessly, further convincing him that her anger was caused by him. Silently following her to the living room, he stood by the doorway as she dropped her bag beside the couch and grudgingly snatched the xbox controller from the cushion. Plopping down on one end, she signed into her account and started up a game. The detective continued to watch her carefully from the doorway, desperately trying to figure out why she was now angry with him. He jumped slightly when her gaze cut across the room to focus on him. He swallowed the lump in his throat at the rage he saw stiring in her beautiful blue eyes. If she didn't look so thoroughly pissed, his mind would be reeling over how sexy she always looked when she was mad. But this was different. It was clear to him that she was livid to her very core about something.

A heavy sign escaped her lips as her gaze softened, clearly noticing his stiff posture. "Please come sit with me, I only came because I needed to be in your presence."

Now confused, he made his way to the couch and seated himself beside her. She moved closer so she could cuddle against his side and he wrapped his arm around her waist without an ounce of hesitation. The detective remained quiet as she started her game, seeming to focus all her attention on the television. Being the impatient person he was, it was mere minutes into her game that he softly asked the question burning in his mind. "Do you want to talk about it?"

The miko didn't say a word but she did reach into her pocket to toss a crumpled ball of paper onto his lap. Staring at it curiously, he slowly straightened it before skimming through it's contents. A heavy sigh escaped him as realization dawned on the detective. She wasn't angry with him, but with her father... again. Glancing at the miko from the corner of his eye, he could see the angry set of her jaw. He pulled her into his lap and nuzzled his face into her soft hair. "So what are you going to do?"

The round ended and she leaned back against his chest, reaching up to massage her temples. "I don't know."

"He's trying Kagome."

"I know that. But even if I do give him another chance, it will take a long time for me to trust him again."

He tightened his arms around her, affectionately rubbing his thumb in small circles along her arms. "That's to be expected but I think you should give him a chance. I mean he is the only family by blood you have left."

She snorted. "I've learned blood isn't thicker than water. I have my friends in the feudal era, Kokoda, you, and Kurama. You're all the family I need."

He smiled slightly and kissed her cheek. "I still think you should give him a chance."

The miko blew air through her lips as another game started up and she focused most of her attention on the screen. "I'll think about it." She muttered, a glare forming. "Why now? Why did he have to throw this on me at a time like this? With so much on my mind already... he has to go and explain that he _had_ tried to be in our lives. That our mother was the one to push him away. I can understand why she did it, I would do the exact same after what he did... but..."

"She should have let you and Souta choose if you wanted him in your lives." He said softly, finishing her rant for her.

She fell silent and merely nodded. He watched the miko as she glared daggers at the television, clearly thinking more on the situation with her father than the game she was playing. He rolled his eyes at her stubborness. Even he could sense she was caving. After the letter her father had written, he knew it would be hard for the miko to not at least try to give him a second chance. She was too forgiving and kind hearted... and she never turned her back on family. "I love you so much my grumpy little miko."

She turned a half hearted glare toward him before refocusing on the game. After a moment of silence, she muttered so softly, the detective almost didn't hear her. "Do you mind if I stay here tonight?"

A smirk pulled at his lips. "If you promise to behave yourself."

A blush ignited across her face as she stiffened in his lap, quickly reminded of what had happened the previous night. "I... uh-"

"I'm sorry Kagome."

Confused, she turned her attention fully to him, not caring that her game was still running. "What?"

"I'm sorry for pushing you away. I don't want you to be mad or embarassed about it, I wanted to... hell yea I wanted to... but I just want it to be special." The words fell from his lips like word vomit, unable to stop them once they started. "I could tell you weren't happy with me this morning and I'm sure that's why you suddenly wanted to go to the fuedal era. Then when you showed up at my door I thought you might have been mad at me still."

She stared at him blankly, listening to him babble on. All this time she'd been worried that he would be disappointed that she hadn't thought more into making the next step in their relationship something special. Or hurt that she almost seemed to rush into it without thinking about how he would feel if they did take that step and she didn't return from the battle. She was worried she hurt him while he'd been worried he hurt her. Shaking her head, unable to stop the small smile that graced her lips, she kissed him softly on the cheek. "I'm not mad at you Yusuke, I actually thought you were disappointed with me. This is my first serious relationship and I'm quickly finding that you are far more romantic than I am. All I'd been thinking of was how to show you my feelings, hoping that I could show you through actions."

He rolled his eyes at her as he pulled her back to his chest so she was leaning against him. She snuggled under his chin, closing her eyes for a moment as she inhaled his masculine scent. "You have shown me Kagome. You let me in, finally. After everything you've been through and all the loved ones you've lost, the fact that you let me in means a lot to me. More than you can imagine."

"I was so cruel to you..."

He scoffed. "It only made me fight harder to get closer to you."

"I need to take lessons from you." she muttered, a yawn escaping her. It'd been a long day.

"On what?"

"How to be such a romantic." she teased.

He shook his head as he reached for the television remove to turn off the device. Standing with her in his arms, he carried her to the bathroom. "Naw, I like you just the way you are." Pushing the door open, he sat her down on the closed toilet seat before disappearing down the hall. Returning with a pair of shorts, a shirt and a towel, he kissed her on the cheek before exiting and closing the door behind him. The miko showered quickly, more than ready to get some rest. With school the next morning, she would have to wake up early to go home and change before classes began. Quickly finishing her shower and changing into Yusuke's clothes, she dragged her tired body to his room and closed the door. Turning off the light, she crawled under the covers and snuggled against him. Feeling her hands touch bare skin, she softly brushed her fingers along his chest as she made herself comfortable.

"What happened to behaving?"

The miko blushed beet red as she turned a glare toward him, knowing he could see her expression despite the darkness. "I wasn't doing anything." she muttered before turning onto her other side, leaving her back to him. She jumped slightly when he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her flush against his body, her blush burning brighter when she felt his erection against her backside.

"Even that small touch fires me up Kagome." He murmured, his breath hot against her neck. He pressed his lips against her neck before resting his chin on her shoulder. "Goodnight babe."

Feeling his body relax against her, she knew he was quickly forcing himself to fall asleep to ignore the desire he felt raging through him. Closing her eyes and stiffling a yawn, she draped her arm over his that was around her waist and entwined her fingers through his. "Goodnight."

Kagome hesitately made her way home. For the first time since she'd moved into her new home, she was going home directly after school. She usually took the long way home and made many detours to avoid seeing her father before he departed for work but this time, she took the direct route. She hadn't waited for Kurama or Yusuke, her nerves so rattled that she hadn't even thought about waiting. Several times she debated if what she was about to do was the right thing but then she would see Sango's face... the way she'd reacted and how hurt she looked. The miko felt terrible for being so selfish and not thinking of the slayer's feelings. The mere thought of the sorrow in Sango's eyes drove Kagome to continue her way straight home. She paused for only a moment when she reached the front door before pushing it open and stepping inside. Taking a deep breath when she heard voices in the kitchen, she pushed her stiffened legs to carry her toward the stairs. Just as she took the first step, she spotted someone exit the kitchen from the corner of her eye.

"Kagome..."

She paused, only half turning to the very man she'd purposely come home to run into.

"Did... Did you read my letter?" he fumbled with his hands, though his eyes were glued to her.

She nodded before turning back toward the stairs and slowly continuing up. She heard him sigh heavily before she paused. Glancing at him from the corner of her eye, she glared halfheartedly. "There will not be a third chance." With that said, she hurried her way up the rest of the steps and shut herself into her room. Falling onto her bed, she let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Needing to focus on something else, she pulled her schoolwork from her bag while she waited for Kurama to get home. She hoped the avatar would be up for some training at Genkai's before the sun went down.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

A/N:

Hey everyone! Sorry it took so long to update, had some personal things that needed to be sorted out but now that it's all cleared up I will be updating regularly again :) Also sorry for the chapter being shorter than usual, and a complete filler but it had to happen. The whole situation with her father needed to be dealt with, can't be leaving loose ends! Anyway, hope you enjoyed, I promise there is action coming up so stay tuned. And don't forget to review ;)

Special thanks and Shout out time!

Guest comment on July 24: I appreciate your feedback. Yes, I do mean Biological father lol. And I do understand where you are coming from with the beginnings seeming slightly rushed but it is quite accurate considering the situation. I had a friend that lost her family in a car accident and the social workers and police worked very quickly to find her next closest relative, contact them, and send her their way. She didn't have a say in any of it because she was still a minor. I could add a bit more sympathy toward her situation and may do so at a later time. Thank you again for your review :)

MrsAlderaan: Thank you, I'm glad your enjoying it so far! If you do get around to starting a Yusuke pairing, be sure to let me know the fic title so I can read it!

ArmyWife22079: I LOVE Time Traveler Meets Spirit Detective. Read her work more than once actually lol! Though I was very saddened to see some of her work is indeed incomplete. I'm sad to see many great writers have left the scene, it's as if this generation isnt much into fanfictions anymore :(

Blood Amethyst: I completely agree, and I think that's why I enjoy writing Yu YU Hakusho crossovers so much. I love writing for Hiei, Kurama, Youko, and Yusuke... they all have such fun personalities to write about and for some reason (perhaps because I'm bias since Inuyasha was the very first anime I ever watched) I love pairing Kagome with them the most. I just feel her personality fits well to steal any of their hearts lol

Also special thanks to everyone else who left reviews! You guys are the reason I keep writing: Undertheskys, KuroKat013, Arkytior's Song, Speedykitten1643, RenTenTen, loretta537, ApolloAres13, and so many more!

Love you all!

~*Icyfire*~


	20. Powerless

Light Within the Darkness

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho... though a girl can dream can't she?

Chapter Twenty: Powerless

Kagome scowled at her younger brother as he laughed at her expense. Shiori had been nice enough to make chocolate pancakes for breakfast and the brat had taken a huge bite out of each of her pancakes. She could sense the amusement radiating from Kurama as well, who sat beside her attempting to hold in his chuckle.

"And to think, I was going to take you to the arcade this weekend." She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest as she stared down at her half eaten pancakes.

The laughter immediately stopped and a pout pulled at his lips. " You know I was only joking Kagome! You can have mine!"

She shook her head "Too late, I'm not hungry anymore. And now YOU have to take ME to the arcade to make up for ruining my breakfast." She smirked.

Kurama rolled his eyes. "Are you hustling our little brother Kagome?"

The miko looked appalled by his accusation "I would never!" she faked, nearly breaking out into laughter at the glare Kokoda was attempting to scare her with. "If you're going to try to look intimidating, you're going to have to try harder than that."

He huffed. "Not all of us can look naturally terrifying like you."

"You little brat, what did you just say!?"

Shiori laughed as she took their breakfast plates and replaced them with bags of lunch. "Alright you three, if you don't leave soon, you'll be late for school."

Kokoda stuck his tongue out at Kagome before darting out the door, his laughter bounding off the walls of the hallway as he made a run for it. Kurama smiled his thank to his mother as he took his lunch and made his way toward the front door.

As Kagome made to follow, Shiori gently touched her arm to gain her attention. "I just wanted to thank you Kagome… for giving your father another chance." She smiled warmly.

The miko smiled softly at the woman and rested her hand over her's. "It was a long time ago, it's time to forgive and try to move on. It took me some time and thought to realize I was holding a grudge. But he's my father, so he deserves another chance. He has seemed to change… and you all are everything I have left."

Shiori pulled her into a hug. "We will always be here for you dear…"

Kagome smiled and nodded. "I know…"

"Well you better get going, I'm sure Suichhi is waiting for you." she smiled, clearly holding back tears.  
Nodding, she leaned up to kiss the woman on the cheek before hurrying off to join the avatar outside.  
"What took you?" he questioned, immediately taking note of the change in her aura. She seemed... happier, as if another weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

She shrugged. "Just small talk with my step mother."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Kagome leaned to her left, resting her head on Yusuke's shoulder and closed her eyes with a huff. His arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer as he shoveled another bite of his sandwich into his mouth. "Tired?"

She shrugged. "I don't like waiting." She murmured.

Kurama's gaze fell on her as he silently ate his lunch as well.

"You guys can't make him attack, you have no other choice but to wait him out."

"Just feel like we're sitting ducks."

"It's a better move to wait, fight on your turf. If you go to him, you'll be at a disadvantage."

"Never thought I'd see the day Yusuke would explain tactics to someone." Kuwabara chuckled.

"Shut up ugly."

Kurama chuckled as well, hoping to lighten the mood. "He has a point Yusuke. You are more the one to punch first and ask questions later"

He snorted "Well this is different."

"You sound just like Inuyasha." She laughed softly.

Classes seemed to drag by and after what felt like days, Kagome was finally exiting the building. Leaning back against a nearby tree to wait for the boys, she watched the other students go about their business. Groups of girls gathered in the courtyard to whisper about the latest gossip, boys strolled together to admire the opposite gender. She contemplated what it would be like to have a normal life again... and if she ever would. The thought quickly became unappealing as she thought of how bored she would probably get. Sure, she'd love to get married and start a family but in the meantime, how boring would life be once the journey with the Shikon was complete? Would she still be able to travel to the past to visit her friends? Would Koenma let her join Yusuke and the others on missions now and then? She was pulled from her thoughts when she caught sight of Yusuke exiting the main doors, Kurama and Kuwabara trailing behind him. Smiling toward them, she kissed the detective softly when he was within reach.

"So what's the plan for today? Is Hiei busy?"

"Unfortunately Hiei is on a mission in Makai. And Kagome I believe you should take a few days to relax. You don't want to be completely worn out when Koenma calls." Kurama suggested.

She nodded in agreement. "Alright. You're house then? I'm actually pretty tired..." she admitted as she focused on Yusuke.

He smiled down at her. "Sure, you can take a nap while I play a game. You comin Kurama?"

He nodded, "Sure."

"Me too!" Kuwabara grinned before the four began toward the detective's house. Before long, Kagome was curled up against Yusuke's side wrapped in a blanket while he booted up the game. They turned the volume down since Kagome was going to be sleeping and Kurama planned to do homework. Kagome drifted off to sleep in the comfort of her love's arms, glad to have these special moments with him before the final battle commenced.

A loud ring pulled her from her sleep and Yusuke reached into his pocket with a sigh. Flipping the communicator open, he glared at the toddler. "What do you want now Toddler?"

"Is Kagome with you?"

He tilted the screen so he could see the miko that was quickly awakening. She felt her heart drop into her stomach at the serious expression on the junior ruler's face. "It's time. He launched a full scale attack on your camp."

Before anyone could say a word to the miko, she flipped the blanket off her and started reaching for her necklace. Yusuke's hand shot out to grab hers before she could disappear. "You better not be leaving without giving me a kiss first." He glared down at her. No way was he going to let her leave for this final battle without at least a kiss. It could be their last…

She smiled up at him and kissed him with all the passion and love she felt. Pulling away from him, she hugged Kuwabara before wrapping her arms around the avatar as well. "I'll fight to survive... I will come back." she murmured before distancing herself from him and activating her necklace. Upon her arrive to the past, she was immediately engaged in battle. Hundreds of demons could be seen flooding from the dense trees surrounding their base camp. She hurried to regroup with the others, finding them fending off the demons fairly well. Kouga and his wolves were doing their best to keep any demons from flanking them. Ducking under a sharp pair of claws aimed for her throat, the miko sped through the throngs of battling demons until she reached Sango, Miroku and Kirara.

"Kagome!" Sango sighed in relief. "They came so suddenly, we're not sure how but Naraku was able to conceal their scents so Inuyasha couldn't even detect the danger until they were nearly on top of us."

"Where is Inuyasha?" she asked quickly as the slayer tossed her a short katana. Standing with their backs to each other so they could keep from being flanked, the miko tried her best to scan the area as she fought off the lower demons charging straight for them. She could hear Kirara making her rounds from above, tearing apart any demon that tried to attack from the skies.

"He ran off to fight Naraku but was deterred by Hakudoshi. Kouga is battling Kagura as we speak." Miroku answered, using his staff to knock away a toad demon's tongue that had been aimed for Sango. "We don't know where Naraku is hiding but we have to take care of the army first."

"What happened to the traps we set?" the miko grunted as she sliced through a rat demon. She held back her purification purposefully, knowing she would need her strength later when the real battles began.

"The traps cut the army nearly in half, if it hadn't been for all our preparations, there would be far more demons..." Sango stated. Lifting her Hirakotsu above her head, she let it fly and watched in satisfaction as it took down dozens of demons before returning to her. "Kagome can you feel Naraku's shards? I don't want him sneaking up on us while we're distracted with his underlings."

Frantically scanning the area around her while Miroku used his wind tunnel in short spurts to cover her while she was searching, she scowled in frustration. There was no sign of any shards nearby. Closing her eyes and focusing harder, she caught a very weak signal coming from the south end of their camp. "I feel something just south of here but I'm not sure if it's Naraku."

"Kirara! Find where Inuyasha is!" Sango ordered, smiling her thanks when the neko took off into the distance. Just as Sango turned her attention back to the attacking demons, they heard a loud roar, pulling their gazes back toward where the neko headed. They watched in horror as the large feline fell from the sky and landed hard on the blood soaked ground. Kagura appeared from the dozens of demons and slowly approached the downed neko, her cruel gaze locked on Sango's terrified brown eyes. Before Miroku could stop her, Sango broke into a sprint to the neko's aid, quickly followed by the monk and miko.

"I have a barrier at our backs! Just focus ahead!" Kagome yelled over the deafening sounds of battle around them, making sure her barrier behind them was strong enough to keep anything from attacking them while they rushed to Sango and Kirara. They tried to keep up with the slayer but she wasn't even fighting as she went, she was dodging around the attacking demons in her effort to reach Kirara in time, leaving Kagome and Miroku to fight off the demons she left behind. "Sango!"

The slayer couldn't hear them, her attention was completely focused on her companion that she feared she wouldn't reach fast enough. Tears brimmed her eyes as she watched the wind demoness lift her fan. A scream ripped from her throat as the demon released the attack and it tore the neko to pieces. Instead of her pace slowing from witnessing her long time companion's death, the slayer sped up as rage flooded through her. Without thinking, she tackled the wind demoness to the ground and pounded her fist into her face. "YOU BITCH!" she cried as the slayer relentlessly delivered one punch after another until Kagura was finally able to kick the slayer off of her. Pulling her katana from it's sheath, Sango charged her full speed just as Kagome and Miroku reached Kirara... or what was left of her. Kagome held back her tears as she realized she couldn't heal the neko.

"Kagome, we have to stop Sango!" Miroku demanded as he continued to fend off the horde of attacking demons. They were lucky that majority of the army were weak useless demons but when they attacked in groups as they were now, it made it a bit more complicated. One wrong move and they could easily be bombarded.

Just as the miko was going to yell to Sango in an attempt to pull her from rage that now consumed her, she spotted a tentacle darting straight for the slayer's unprotected flank. Panicking, Kagome threw a barrier up just in time to save her friend. A grunt was heard to her left and Kagome glanced toward Miroku. "NO!" Another tentacle was punctured straight through the monk's stomach. She'd been so focused on Sango that she hadn't noticed the second attack aimed at Miroku. Acting fast, she severed the limb and caught Miroku as he began to crumble to the ground. Erecting a full barrier around them, she slowly lowered him to the ground as her tears from earlier came back with a vengeance. "No, no, no, no... Miroku you have to stay awake! I can heal you!" she cried. "SANGO, MIROKU IS HURT!" She screamed, hoping her voice would reach the enraged slayer.

Sango felt her blood run cold when Kagome's words reverberated through her entire being. Miroku... was hurt... Pulling her attention from her fight with Kagura, she spotted Kagome and Miroku encased in a barrier not far away. Dozens of demons were attaching her shimmering pink barrier and it was clear by the pain etched on the miko's face that the constant attacks were effecting her. She could see the miko trying to heal Miroku. "You shouldn't turn your back on a fight you fool!" Hearing Kagura's approach, she turned sharply and thrust her katana forward. Satisfaction flood through her as she felt the end of her blade puncture through the wind demoness's throat. With a flick of her wrist, her enemy's head rolled to the ground. "You shouldn't have taken Kirara from me." she sneered before rushing toward Kagome and Miroku. Taking it upon herself to rid of the demons that were attacking Kagome's barrier, she prayed the miko could heal such a severe wound.

Kagome pushed all the energy she could into the monk as blood continued to pour from his wound. Tears blinded her vision as a sob broke from her chest. In order to heal the wound, she needed to remove the tentacle that punctured his stomach but now that it wasn't lodging everything else in place, his life blood was flowing freely. Every second that passed Kagome knew Miroku was drifting farther and farther away from her. She could sense death's grip on his and knew there was nothing she could do but slow the process.

"Let me go Kagome..."

She glanced up to see the monk staring at her with a soft smile, blood trailing from his lips. She shook her head vigorously. "I can't let you die Miroku... I CAN'T." she sobbed, pushing even more of her energy into his wound.

"There's no coming back from this... Let me go... You need to conserve your energy. You need to defeat Naraku" he murmured, coughing up more blood. She shook her head stubbornly. He reached up to grab her wrist and gently pulled it away from his wound. "Please Kagome... keep Sango safe for me."

"No Miroku please... You have to hang on. Don't close your eyes!" she cried as she slapped his cheek lightly in an attempt o keep him conscious. She knew the moment he went to sleep, he wouldn't awaken. "Miroku open your eyes please. You can't leave us like this... You can't leave Sango like this!"  
She received no response which caused her to panic further. Reaching for his pulse, she pounded her fist into the ground. He was gone... and it was her fault. She should have paid better attention! Pushing herself to her feet, she picked up the katana that she'd dropped when she hurried to Miroku's aid. Clenching the hilt so tightly that her knuckles turned white, she pulled away her barrier and charged into battle right along side Sango. Unable to control her rage, her miko powers began to leak from her, engulfing not only her body but her weapon as well. Fueled by their anger and loss of their companions, the women fought until not a single demon remained and the ground was littered with the bodies of their enemies. Breathing heavily, they glanced at each other and nodded before searching the area to see if they could find any traces of their other comrades. Members of the wolf tribe lay scattered among the bodies of their enemies and they assumed Kouga was also gone... seeing as he'd been the one fighting Kagura before she took Kirara's life. There wasn't any sign of Inuyasha or the sounds of battle in the distance, which brewed further worry in their guts.

"I am impressed. I never imagined that the last two standing would be the human women. Although I will admit that you, Kagome, have always been more a threat to me than anyone else."

At the sound of his voice, both women turned sharply to see Naraku himself exiting from the dense forest that surrounded their camp. Sensing Sango's rage returning, the miko grabbed her arm quickly before she could charge blindly. "Don't Sango."

"This coward attacked from the sidelines Kagome, he couldn't even face us like a man. He killed Miroku." she snarled.

"I know, but charging him without a plan will just get us killed. And Miroku and Kirara's deaths would be in vain. We have to wait for Inuyasha to get here and help." She muttered, her gaze focused completely on their long time enemy.

He chuckled, having easily heard their small talk. "If you think backup is coming, you are in for a surprise my dear."

"Inuyasha will come for us. You will never win Naraku." Kagome snapped, still keeping a firm grip on the slayer's arm.

"Inuyasha? Oh you mean this hanyou?"

Kagome fell to her knees as Hakudoshi stepped out from behind Naraku, Inuyasha's limp body hanging from his katana. Pulling his blade from the hanyou's body, they watched in horror as the inu hit the ground with a loud thump. A soft groan escaped him as he tried to push himself to his feet but was stopped when Naraku dropped his foot onto Inuyasha's back, pinning him to the ground with his weight. "He put up a good fight, but he was no match for me." the spider smirked cruelly. Now it was Sango's turn to hold Kagome back, grabbing the back of her shirt to keep the miko from charging forward.

"It's over, there is nothing you can do. Hand over your shards and I might consider letting one of you live."

Kagome allowed her powers to flow from her body viciously as anger burned through her veins. "Never."

Naraku sighed and shrugged as he glanced toward his underling. "I offer mercy and this is what I get in return. Pity."

Glancing toward each other, the two women formulated a plan of action within moments but before they could put it into action another surprise attack caught them off guard. They had foolishly assumed that Naraku and Hakudoshi were the last of Naraku's pawns. Sango gasped in shock when pain burst through her back. Her eyes wide, she glanced toward Kagome in confusion, unable to comprehend what was causing her such pain. Kagome cried out as the slayer fell to her knees, an arrow protruding from her back. Turning to where the arrow seemed to have come from, the miko watched in horror as Kikyo notched another and swiftly released it. As if it were in slow motion, Kagome watched the arrow slowly fly directly for her. She was frozen where she stood. What could she do anyway? There was no way she could defeat Naraku, Hakudoshi and Kikyo all by herself. Her eyes slowly closed as tears streamed down her cheeks. 'I'm sorry Yusuke...'

Kagome woke with a start, gasping for breath as she was flung violently into the waking world.

"Whoa babe! Calm down!" she heard Yusuke beside her and her wild gaze turned to him. Glancing around herself, she realized she was still in his living room. Kuwabara was seated on her opposite side and seemed to have been playing games with Yusuke before she woke. Kurama had leapt from his seat at the dining table and was quickly making his way toward her. Was it a nightmare? Quickly forcing herself to calm, she buried her face into Yusuke's shirt.

"What happened?" he murmured, brushing his fingers through her hair in an attempt to calm her further.

"It was just a nightmare..."

"What about?" Kurama questioned, now standing beside the couple.

"The battle... everyone died and I... was about to as well." she shivered. "But it was just a dream... I'm fine now."

Yusuke held her tight as he pulled her fully into his lap. He glanced up at Kurama, worry clear in his eyes as he tried to calm her shaking.

"I will make her some tea." Kurama murmured as he quickly disappeared into the kitchen.

Kagome took deep slow breaths as she tried to clear her head. It felt so real... was it really a dream? Or perhaps a vision of what was to come? Another shiver shook through her as she felt Yusuke's arms tighten around her. No, they were not going to lose... they couldn't, the future depended on their success... the people she cared about depended on them. Still riled up, she pulled away from her boyfriend and stood. Glancing down at him, she couldn't help the warmth that crept through her heart at the genuine worry in his eyes as he watched her. "I'm fine. I promise. But I think i need to go back. Just in case this wasn't just a dream, I have to make sure it doesn't happen." she murmured.

The detective stood and pulled her into his arms. "Alright but don't be long, I want you in my arms tonight." he muttered softly before pulling away and kissing her.

"Tell Kurama to I'll be needing that tea when I get back." she smiled halfheartedly before reaching for her necklace. He nodded and then she vanished before his eyes.

Once she arrived in the feudal era, she quickly informed her friends of the nightmare she'd had, explaining it to them in vivid detail so they could change their guard plans accordingly. She wasn't sure if her nightmare would actually become reality but they weren't willing to risk anything. Instead of keeping the wolves patrolling close to the camp ground, Kouga pushed them several miles further so they would know the moment something went array. With his connection with the pack, the wolf prince would know the moment once of his members was engaged in battle and would be able to warn the rest of the group. Kagome made it clear to Inuyasha that he was not to leave them behind under any circumstance, because they were stronger together and could watch each other's flanks. Deciding to make a quick round of the area to be sure there wasn't anymore they could do to defend the area, Kagome and Sango left the camp just as the sun was falling behind the mountains. Flashlights in hand, both women scanned the area to be sure that every side of the camp was covered.

Sango placed a comforting hand on the miko's shoulder as they began making their way back to camp. "Don't worry Kagome, we are well prepared. Even in your dream you said our traps helped minimize the army by nearly half. We just have to be prepared for when the come, not be caught by surprise, and cannot allow ourselves to be separated. The easiest way to win a war is to divide and conquer. Inuyasha now knows not to venture far from the group."

The miko nodded. "It was just startling... it felt so real."

"I'm sorry you had to experience that. It must have been terrifying."

"That's an understatement," she snorted. "I felt powerless... just watching everyone I care about dropping like flies around me. I think I even scared Yusuke when I woke so suddenly"

"Shh." The miko felt her muscles freeze when her slayer companion's demeanor suddenly changed. They both turned off their flashlights and scanned the area the best their could with their human vision, their full attention on their surroundings. "I thought I heard something." Sango murmured, her hand slowly reaching down to rest on her katana at her hip. Kagome pulled her bow from her back and reached for an arrow. But before the arrow was removed from the quiver, her vision went black and the last thing she recalled was Sango screaming her name.

A/N:

Hello everyone! So sorry it's been a long time since i updated! Lots of things going on in RL right now; got married, went on a long honeymoon traveling the world, bought a house. But now that things are settling down in our new home, I finally had the chance to get back to my fics! So I'm hoping to have the next chapter up fairly quick, sorry for the fake out... and cliff hanger lol! Hope you all enjoyed and thank you so much for all your reviews and continued support! Until next time :)

~*Icyfire*~

Next Chapter: Chapter 21 - Trump Card


	21. Trump Card

Light Within the Darkness

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho... though a girl can dream can't she?

Chapter Twenty One: Trump Card

Her head was pounding when she finally regained consciousness. The shooting pain she felt at the base of her skull helped keep her from immediately panicking once she was able to gather her thoughts. Someone caught her and Sango by surprise, the last thing she remembered was the slayer yelling her name and the feeling of being carried away. She slowly flexed her muscles one at a time to make sure everything was intact. Relieved to find her only injury seemed to be her head, she shifted her attention to her other senses. The smell of rusted metal drifted into her nose and she held back the urge to spread her aura outward. Her first assumption when she woke was that Naraku somehow managed to kidnap her so if she was correct, the last thing she wanted to do was alert the hanyou of her conscious state. She couldn't sense any demonic auras nearby so if she was within his clutches, she was most likely locked up somewhere deep in enemy territory. Slowly opening her eyes, she stared at a small figure standing on the opposite side of what looked like prison cell bars as her vision adjusted to the lack of lighting.

"I had no other choice."

Immediately recognizing the voice that softly spoke to her, she felt her heart clench. "Kohaku..."

"He ordered me to take you. If I hadn't obeyed, he would have figured out I regained my memories. If he found out the truth, I wouldn't be able to help you defeat him..." he muttered softly, his gaze glued to the ground. Clearly he did not want to meet her gaze.

"Kohaku it's alright. We'll figure something out. We always do." she whispered reassuringly, allowing her gaze to take in her surroundings. She was indeed locked up, and now that her attention wasn't solely on the pain in her head she could clearly feel the biting cold of the metal around her wrists. Glancing down at her bounce hands, she scowled. Thick metal cuffs secured her hands together, restricting her range of motion. Her fingers were free though so perhaps if she found something to lodge between the cuffs, there was a chance she could pry them open.

"I left a trail."

She turned her gaze back to the boy and smiled softly. "Thank you, I'm sure the others have found it and are on their way here as we speak."

The boy fell silent and Kagome resumed examining her prison cell. It was barren aside from a small cot to her left. A snort escaped her as she reached up to find that her necklace was still around her neck. She shouldn't have been that surprised considering Kurama made the piece unbreakable. Seemed Naraku's plan was about to go down the drain; he didn't know about her necklace and its time traveling ability. Smirking slightly, she called forth her aura only to find it would not surface. Confused, she tried again.

"Those cuffs keep your purification from working. It possesses suppression abilities." Kohaku muttered as if he could feel her growing panic.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself once more, she released her necklace. "He thought this through quite well." she muttered sourly.

His frown deepened as his head snapped toward the door across the room from them. "He's coming... I must go before he sees me." he muttered before disappearing into the shadows of the room.

The door on the other side of the room creaked open and Kagome felt a chill down her spine. Turning her gaze directly to her visitor, she pinning him with a glare full of hatred.

"My my, so much anger in those eyes. Not happy that you were outsmarted?" he smirked as the gate to her prison swung open and he stepped inside. She stood her ground as he approached her and held back her urge to lash out when he took a lock of her hair into his grasp. "I am a little disappointed Kagome. I expected more fight out of you." he teased as he twisted her hair through his fingers. She envisioned those hands soaked with the blood of her loved ones and felt her muscles twitch. He let her hair fall to her shoulder once more as she clenched her fists.

"You are a coward. So scared of a weak untrained miko that you have to seal her powers?" she mocked, glaring up at him.

His smirk only grew. "You believe me foolish enough to think you haven't been training your powers? I cannot follow into your time anymore to monitor your progress but I would not risk my victory by pretending you are not my biggest threat."

Her anger continued to grow as she held back her urge to attack. Without her powers and her hands bound, she wouldn't stand a chance against Naraku so provoking him was not the wisest choice. "Inuaysha and the others will find me."

"Oh, I'm betting on it dear. And when they get here, they can watch as I take your life." Her fists clenched so tight her nails began to pierce the skin of her palm. The sharp scent of her blood grabbed Naraku's attention and he swiftly grabbed the cuffs securing her wrists. "Your blood smells so much like your mothers... I enjoyed my time with her."

"You coward!" she snapped, trying to yank her hands from his grasp. He held tightly, his claws emitting a piercing sound as they scraped against the metal of her cuffs.

"And what is this... so that is why your scent is laced with that of a male." he muttered to himself before chuckling. Realizing he was referring to the ring Yusuke gave her, she swiftly delivered a kick aimed for his ribs. He easily twisted her arms to force her to her knees, causing her to cry out at the sharp pain in her wrists from the metal biting into her skin. Releasing her, he kicked her in the gut hard enough that her back slammed into the wall across the cell. Gasping for air, she was relieved to see he did not move to approach her again. Instead her gaze caught sight of a familiar book in his hand. Her communication notebook she used to talk to Kurama and Yusuke while she was in this time... she must have had it on her when Kohaku kidnapped her. She could do nothing as he flipped it open and skimmed through the pages.

"I'm sure your mate is worried sick about you. He can't cross time either can he? Which means he feels absolutely helpless not knowing where you are or whether you are alive or dead." he mocked her with his cruel blood red eyes as he slowly closed the distance between them. "I assume you use ink to write within these pages. Unfortunately I do not have ink, so I suppose this will have to do." He smirked down at her. Before she could formulate a plan of how to defend herself while her powers were subdued and her hands were bound, a tentacle pierced her thigh. She ground her teeth at the sharp pain as it cut through muscle before he retracted the appendage. She watched as he flipped to the middle and began writing, using her blood as substitution for ink, and he strolled out of her prison cell. The pain of her wound forgotten for the moment, Kagome felt dread flood through her as she thought of what Naraku was writing for Yusuke and Kurama to see...

oOoOoOooOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"How could Inuyasha be so careless!" Yusuke snarled angrily as he paced Koenma's office.

"It's not his fault Yusuke. No one expected Naraku to target Kagome." Kurama murmured, trying to keep himself from pacing right alongside his companion. "Does her group have even the slightest clue as to where Naraku has taken her?" He asked the demi god.

His face turned grim as he shook his head, his eyes never leaving the text that was appearing on the pages. "They are trying to trail his scent but they won't find the castle. Naraku made it nearly impossible for anyone to sense the barrier around his hideout."

"Damnit!" Yusuke growled. "This is bullshit! There's nothing we can do toddler?!"

Koenma slowly shook his head. "Unfortunately no... I cannot alter the time line anymore than it already has..." he mumbled under his breath as he continued reading. "Kagome just woke up. Kohaku is explaining why he kidnapped her... he left a trail for Inuyasha and the others to follow."

"Then why hasn't that stupid dog found her yet!?" Yusuke snapped.

"It would seem they haven't found the trail, Inuyasha went straight to tracking Kokahu's scent which disappeared once he passed through Naraku's barrier. They don't know there is a trail to follow." Koenma muttered as he continued to read. His eyes widened before his gaze met with Kurama's. "Where are your journals?" he asked slowly.

Kurama felt his blood run cold as he pulled his journal from his back pocket. Slowly opening it, he nearly saw red. Sensing the avatar's anger sky rocket, Yusuke pulled his journal from his pocket as well.

'Her blood smells just like her mothers. I enjoyed my time with the older human, I'm sure this little miko's screams will be just as entertaining...'

Fear engulf Koenma's entire being as he felt both detectives' auras flood the room.

Yusuke wasn't sure if it was his rage that was making the ink on the page look red in color or if whatever that bastard was using as ink was colored red. He snatched a pen from Koenma's desk. 'If you touch her, I'll kill you.'

'I plan to do so much more than merely touch.'

A snarl ripped from Yusuke's throat as his demonic blood began to take over. His hair was slowly growing in length and his markings could faintly be seen on his skin. His rage filled gaze landed on Koenma before he snatched the history book from his grasp. Reading the recently appeared words, he threw the book across the room.

'What a beautiful ring she wears on her finger. She became quiet feisty when I attempted to take it from her.'

Yusuke ground his teeth, not noticing his canines were turning to fangs and cutting into his lip. "It's her blood. He's using her blood to write in her journal! You're going to let him kill my mate?! I can't just stand here and do nothing!"

"I'm sorry Yusuke, only my father has the power to do anything here... and he will never allow you to go to her aid..."

A snarl came from the other side of the room and both Yusuke and Koenma turned their gazes to Kurama. The avatar's eyes glowed with a golden hue as he made his way toward Yusuke and rested a hand on the detective's shoulder. Reaching up to grasp the chain around his neck, Kurama's gaze locked with the demi god's. "I'm sorry Koenma." was all that was said before both detectives disappeared. His eyes widening, Koenma scrambled across his office to retrieve the history book Yusuke had thrown.

Yusuke felt his stomach flop as he suddenly found he was no longer in Koenma's office. Glancing around, his red gaze whipped to Kurama in question.

"When I helped Koenma make the jewelry, I made sure each piece also had the ability to time travel, not just Kagome's." the avatar explained as he allowed his demon form to take over.

"So we're in the feudal era?"

Kurama nodded, "I was hoping we would be taken to Kagome's location but it seems we teleported to Sango instead." he murmured as he expanded his aura in an attempt to pinpoint Kagome's friends. "They are still on the move, we must hurry."

With that said, they both took off toward where they could feel several powerful auras nearby. Yusuke skid to a stop and dodged left when he sensed an attack headed his way. A large boomerang flew past him before returning to a woman dressed in a black and pink jumpsuit.

"Who the hell are you and why do you smell like Kagome?" a snarl reached their ears and Kurama signaled him to stay quiet as a hanyou with long white hair emerged from the brush. Alongside him stood a large pack of wolf demons, a monk and the woman that attacked Yusuke.

"I am her step brother from her time, and this is her potential mate. We've come to help. You are Inuyasha?"

The hanyou didn't seem convinced by his explanation. "How do I know you're who you say you are and not one of Naraku's detachments." he growled, hand on the hilt of his sword.

The slayer stepped forward, her gaze focused on Yusuke. "You are Yusuke?"

He nodded slightly, quickly growing impatient. "While we're standing here fucking around, Kagome is stuck with that sick bastard. We're wasting time." he snarled, eyes glowing red.

Sango relaxed her stance and rested a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder. "They are who they say they are."

"How the hell do you know?"

She pointed at Kurama. "She told me her step brother is a silver kitsune. And he wears a necklace that matches hers and my bracelet." She then pointed toward Yusuke. "And he's exactly how she described him." she stated with slight amusement.

"I'm not sure if that's a good thing or bad." the detective scowled.

"How did you get here then? Kagome told us she was the only one that can use the power of the well now." Miroku questioned.

"I helped make the jewelry, I made sure each piece could travel as well... in case of an emergency like this." Kurama explained.

"Well how are we supposed to find Kagome? We lost Naraku's scent miles back." Kouga growled, also becoming impatient.

Kurama focused his gaze on Sango. "Show us where Kohaku's scent trail ended. He left a trail for us to follow."

Surprised by his words, the slayer took off back the way they'd come. The avatar easily fell into step beside the slayer. "Why would Kohaku leave a trail behind..."

"He had no choice but to follow orders. You are all aware that his memories are back. He couldn't just take Kagome without leaving something behind. He's hoping Naraku's plan to kidnap Kagome backfires and results in his downfall."

"How do you know this?" Miroku questioned curiously.

"We're from the future, we know a lot of shit you people don't. Let's get a move on. The faster we find this trail, the faster we can get Kagome away from that bastard." Yusuke snapped impatiently.

It didn't take them long to back track to the last location Inuyasha could smell Kohaku. Kurama was able to find the trail he left behind several yards away. There were barely noticeable 'x' shaped cuts in the trunks of the trees he had passed. Yusuke wasted no time following the trees until they suddenly came to what seemed to be the backside of Naraku's hideout. Smart of the boy to direct them away from the main entrances where Naraku might have immediately detected their arrival. Kagome's scent hit them like a slap in the face and rage quickly engulfed them. They could smell her fear and the coppery scent of her blood. Sango placed Shippo on the ground and with Kirara's assistance, peeked over the top of the high wall that surrounded the hideout. The slayer returned to the ground with a grim expression. "There are hundreds of demons. It'll be impossible to find her without being seen."

Unable to remain calm any longer, Yusuke took off toward the nearest entrance. Kurama quickly took Shippo into his arms before darting off after his comrade, knowing that Kagome's friends were right on his heels. If Naraku's entire army was waiting within those walls, there was no point in wasting time thinking of a plan. It would be impossible for them to sneak past thousands of demons through unfamiliar territory in search of Kagome. And the longer they waiting, the more of the miko's blood was being spilt... For once, Yusuke's attack first and plan later tactic seemed to be the best option.

"How come everyone complains when I barge in fists first but this bastard doesn't get shit for it?" Inuyasha grumbled halfheartedly. Kurama glanced back at the hanyou and could see the barely concealed smirk on his face. He could hardly wait to engage in battle and was clearly happy there was another person among them that didn't think before acting.

"Are we going to save Kagome in time, Uncle?" Shippo sniffled.

Kurama rearranged the kit onto his back so that his little arms were around his neck and he was protected by his long hair. "Yes kit, hold on tight and don't let go. I won't let anyone harm you."

Yusuke burst through the rear gate and was immediately engaged in battle. Thousands of demons filled the courtyard, all standing between him and his mate. "Hang on Kagome... I'm coming!"

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Kagome sensed their auras the moment they broke through the south end of the territory. Her eyes widened in fear when she recognized Kurama and Yusuke's auras among the ranks of her allies that had come to her rescue. How did they get to the feudal era?! She forced herself to stand despite the burning pain of the multiple wounds Naraku had been inflicting in the short time she'd been his prisoner. She assumed Naraku believed Inuyasha and the others would find them quickly but by the surprised expression she could see on his face now that he could also sense their auras, it was clear he thought he'd have more... quality time with her.

"It would seem your friends are here my dear." Naraku smirked, moving to the only window in the room to watch the battle that had broken out in the courtyard. "I don't recognize those two... but they're scents... they are all over you." he mused, turning his gaze to her.

"If any of them are harmed I will kill you Naraku." she snarled.

He chuckled as he crossed the room to stand before her. "One of them is your mate. But which one..." She tried to bring forth her powers but the cuffs stood strong, keeping her powers at bay. Smirking down at her, he grabbed her face roughly. "Perhaps I will let them live. Only so they can watch as I take your life."

"They won't let you lay a finger on me." she spat.

He chuckled once more and grabbed a fist full of her hair. She ground her teeth at the pain she felt from his claws against her scalp. Trying to keep her balance so she could minimize the pain shooting through her head, he pulled her toward the doorway. "We will see about that my dear."

Yusuke plowed through any demon in his path but found he wasn't gaining any ground. The demons of this time were far weaker than those in the future but their numbers were great. Far greater than he'd ever seen in his time. For every demon he killed, a hundred would take its place. And with Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku, and Kouga all occupied by more powerful demons they called Naraku's 'detachments', that left only the wolf pack, Kurama and himself to fight off the army before them. He wasn't tiring yet but his frustration was building. The mere thought of what Narkau might be doing to Kagome at that very moment boiled his blood. But he couldn't unleash his full power until they got Kagome safely out of the castle. He didn't want it to come crashing down with her still inside...

"I am impressed, you were able to pin point my location much quicker than I expected."

Everyone froze, even the attacking demons, as all their gazes turned toward a balcony high above them. A snarl ripped from their throats when they spotted Naraku holding Kagome up by her throat. Her wrists were heavily bound with thick metal cuffs that they guessed were the reason she hadn't attempted to escape. Kurama also concluded that the cuffs must also seal her powers because the sheer number of wounds that littered her body nearly caused the avatar and Yusuke to snap. Her clothes were covered in her own blood and she was slightly pale probably from the amount of blood she'd lost. Naraku smirked as his gaze landing on Kurama and Yusuke. "So which of you is her precious mate?"

"If you harm her further, I'll kill you." Yusuke snarled, his mind running a mile a minute already trying to figure out how to get Kagome out of the bastard's grasp.

Kagome strained her eyes to see Kurama and Yusuke. They both looked completely different. Kurama was clearly in his demon form that she only now realized she'd never seen before but she'd wasn't aware that Yusuke had enough demon blood to also take on a demonic form. Sure he'd told her before that his hair lengthened and a few markings showed but clearly he was downplaying it. His hair was as long as Kurama's, eyes blood red with rage, and tattoo like markings littered his slightly tanned skin. With his demon blood surfaced, she could clearly sense his immense aura and wondered how she'd missed it before. Perhaps his human blood and spiritual power concealed his demonic aura. If she weren't in the grasp of her worst enemy, she would be admiring her boyfriend's changed features.

"Funny, she also said you wouldn't let me lay a finger on her." He mused as his claws pierced the skin of her neck. She refused to utter a sound, merely clenching her jaw to distract herself from the pain. She could sense that each wound Naraku inflicted was laced with miasma, which explained why Hiei's attacks felt like child's play in comparison.

The fresh scent of her blood shattered any control Yusuke had left. Charging up his spirit gun, he fired it directly at Naraku. Sensing the attack, he easily dodge and turned a triumphant smirk down to them. "Guess you were both wrong." He watched as Yusuke's angered expression slowly turned to amusement.

"You're in for it now." His words reached his ears and before Naraku could react, Kagome unleased all the purification she could muster and directed it straight at him. Considering how close the miko was, he barely dodged. His attention now fully focused on the miko, he scowled at the broken cuffs that lay at her feet. So the boy hadn't been aiming for him...

Kagome searched for a way off the balcony while Naraku tried to recollect himself after her attack. She'd let loose so much power that she needed a moment to regain some energy. She'd hoped that one attack would be enough to finish her enemy in one blow... Just as she was going to climb over the balcony and attempt to make her way to the ground, a sharp pain shot through her stomach.

"Kagome!"

Naraku lifted the miko off the ground, a tentacle pierced through her midsection. "You thought you could kill me so easily?! You are no match for me!" He snarled, throwing her from the balcony. As if the battle had been placed on pause when Naraku made his appearance, the fighting started once more the moment Kagome was flung through the air. Kirara reacted the quickest and caught the miko before she could hit the ground. Carrying her as far away from danger as possible, Kirara set her down and shifted to protecting the miko while she collected herself and began healing now that her powers were no longer subdued. Yusuke quickly cleared a path to the miko, brushing past the fire neko and Kagome's barrier before falling to his knees beside her. Before she could utter a word, he pulled her into his arms tightly.

"Baka... don't you ever scare me like that again..." he muttered into her hair.

She smiled softly, trying her best to ignore the sting of her wounds that he was agitating by squeezing her so tightly. "I'm sorry Yusuke..."

"How about getting all mushy _after_ we get the hell out of here alive?!" Inuyasha's snarl reached them and effectively pulled the couple back to reality.

Springing to his feet, Yusuke offered his miko a hand that she graciously took. "You stay back here with the neko and your friends. I'm going to tear that bastard apart..." he growled softly, his gaze focused on Naraku who still stood on the balcony above them with that same sadistic smirk on his face.

Kagome tightened her grasp on the detective, not allowing him to dive into battle just yet. "I don't want you anywhere near Naraku, Inuyasha and I will finish him."

He scowled. "You think I'm going to let you fight that bastard?! Over my dead fucking body."

"This is what I've feared Yusuke! That Naraku would take you from me! I can't watch you fight him, not with the chance that he will kill you!" she snapped.

"Kagome, please trust us. Yusuke and I will take care of Naraku. Allow us to avenge your friends and family." She turned sharply when she heard Kurama's voice behind her. He looked so different in his demon form; long silver hair and golden eyes. He moved to stand beside her before reaching under his long mane of hair and revealing Shippo. Her step brother gently handed the frightened kit to her. A groan escaped her when she spotted his ears and tail now that he was so much closer for her to see. How dare her step brother hide those adorable ears from her... shaking those thoughts from her mind, she pinned him with a stern glare after instructing Shippo to remain within the safety of her barrier.

"You know just as well as Yusuke that this is my greatest fear and the reason I kept my distance from you two for so long. And yet the both of you want to leap right into battle and risk your lives?!"

The wind was knocked from her when Yusuke pulled her into his arms once more and kissed her. Pulling away, he smirked down at her arrogantly. "You worry too much. Let us show you just how strong we are. We can take him Kagome. He has no idea how much more powerful demons in our time are."

"Yusuke..." she muttered, feeling tear burn her eyes. She felt fear running through her veins like ice. She had no idea how powerful Yusuke and Kurama were since there weren't any missions she'd witnessed that they needed to actually put effort toward. And yet her fear of losing them still held her in an iron grip. How did Yusuke know the demons of their time were more powerful? Just because it was the future did not necessarily mean they were stronger...

"Have faith in us babe."

She bit her lip but nodded slightly, hoping she wasn't going to regret this decision. "I'll kill you if you die Yusuke..."

He chuckled and kissed her cheek before releasing her. "Kurama, let's go man."

"Be careful Kagome." her step brother called out to her before disappearing from sight.

Her heart hammered in her chest as she stepped out of her barrier, leaving it intact only to keep Shippo safe from harm, and joined her friends in battle. "About damn time wench! Where are those other bakas?"

She swallowed the lump in her throat as Sango quickly approached with a weapon for her to use. "They're going to fight Naraku."

"What?!" He roared as his gaze whipped to the balcony. She also glanced toward where she could sense their auras and felt her pulse race once more. Yusuke and Kurama were already engaged in battle with the hanyou... "Those bakas are going to get themselves killed! They don't stand a chance against Naraku!" Inuyasha snarled as he pounded his fist into another demon.

"They seem to be doing well actually." Sango pipped up, remaining back to back with the miko so that they could both watch each other's rears. "I know you can sense their power Inuyasha, They are far stronger than you, even Sesshomaru." The hanyou snorted at her comment but surprisingly did not argue.

Kagome nodded, allowing herself to examine their auras and watching their battle as closely as she could while also keeping her own guard up. They were strong... stronger than she initially realized. They could defeat Naraku, she just had to have faith in them. The battle raged on for what felt like days but in reality was mere hours. Naraku's army was nearly destroyed and Kouga had successfully avenged his tribe by defeating Kagura. Although they suffered some casualties among the wolf tribe that had joined their fight, everyone else was still breathing. Severely injured but alive. Those that could no longer fight, which included Kouga, Inuyasha, and Miroku, remained away from the carnage attempting to regain enough strength to fight once more. Inuyasha nearly lost a leg with his battle against Hakudoshi but Miroku was able to catch the boy off guard and pull him into the wind tunnel. Unfortunately, several of Naraku's insects had also been sucked into the void which removed the monk from battle. Kirara, Sango and Kagome continued to clear the courtyard, intent on eliminating all enemies. As Naraku's numbers dwindled, the miko was able to watch the battle between the hanyou and her mate and brother a bit closer. Halfway through their fight, Naraku took the cowardly route and unleashed several of his puppets to fight for him. It had initially worried her as she could recall Inuyasha struggling to fight one puppet, so how would Kurama and Yusuke fair against half a dozen? They had quickly eased her fears, each puppet seeming to drop like flies within moments of each other. But now that Naraku was running out of plans, she knew she needed to watch them closely. The hanyou was notorious for fighting dirty and she didn't doubt he already had a plan set. She just needed to foil his plan, as she always did.

A sharp pain shot through her shoulder, causing the miko to revert her attention back to the fight around her. A demon had slipped past her defenses and landed a hit, clearly she was more distracted than she originally thought. Quickly dispatching her attacker, she pushed her healing aura into her fresh wound.

"Kagome! Pay attention!" Sango scolded, cutting down yet another demon. "I realize that your healing powers are much stronger now but do not rely on them. Conserve your energy, this battle is not over yet."

She nodded, throwing a quick apology to the slayer. But her attention was again wavered when she spotted Kanna finally make her appearance a ways behind Kurama and Yusuke. Panic rushed through her as she took off at a dead run toward them. She had to stop Kanna... they didn't know about her power to steal souls. How had they forgotten about the last of Naraku's detachments and possibly the most dangerous of them all? "Yusuke! Behind you!" she screamed just as the albino demon lifted her mirror. She wasn't going to make it in time... her eyes widened in disbelief as a sickle suddenly pierced the mirror, causing it to shatter into pieces. She watched as Kohaku swiftly took the void demon's life before she could attack Kurama and Yusuke. Just as relief filled her, dread quickly replaced it as she felt a hand close around her neck from behind. She let her guard down again... and was now within the grasp of her enemy once more.

"Kagome!"

"Get your hands off her you bastard!"

Naraku tightened his grip on her throat, causing all to stop in their tracks. "I will admit, Kohaku's betrayal came as a surprise. I am unsure how he regained his memories but it matters not. Without the guardian of the jewel, the Shikon will remain forever tainted."

"Even if you kill me, they will destroy you after... you cannot win." she choked out, trying to pry his fingers away from her throat.

"It matters not, because everything is still going as planned. I told you I would make them watch as I took your life my dear. Now watch as the life fades from her eyes!"

The ground below them began to shake violently and Naraku watched in confusion as large plants erupted from the soil, completely surrounding him. Kagome gazed up at the plants with wide, terrified eyes. They had large teeth and no eyes... and she could practically taste their desire for blood. A scream broke from her throat as they attacked.

Yusuke watched in horror as the plants tore Naraku apart, Kagome nowhere to be seen. "Kurama what the fuck is wrong with you!?" he roared as he took off toward the death plants he recognized all too well. He was stopped in his tracks when Kurama firmly grabbed his shoulder and prevented him from going any closer to the carnage. "Let go of me! Kagome is in there!"

"If you go anywhere near them, they will tear you apart too." he muttered.

"I don't give a shit! They're going to kill her!" he snarled, turning to throw a punch at the avatar.

"Calm down Yusuke." he snapped, easily dodging the detective's attack. "You think I would allow Kagome to be harmed? Now let me concentrate so I can ensure she remains unharmed."

Confused, Yusuke turned his frantic gaze back to the death plants that were only now calming after tearing Naraku apart. He watched as Kurama casually walked up to one of the plants that he only now realized had it's head raised high above the others. The plant lowered its large head to the ground and slowly opened its jaws, revealing a shaking, wide eyed Kagome. The moment its mouth was open enough for her to escape, she scrambled out of its jaws, completely covered in green saliva. Kurama placed his hand to the ground and all the plants except one disappeared back into the ground. Yusuke sped toward the miko as she glared at Kurama.

"I don't know what I'm covered in but this is disgusting... And did you have to scare me half to death?! That thing had me in its _mouth!_ I thought it was going to eat me!"

The kitsune rolled his eyes at her hysterics as he ordered the last plant to empty its stomach. It did as it was told and a gasp escaped Kagome when it coughed up Naraku's portion of the jewel. Just as she heard Yusuke's heavy footfalls quickly approaching her, she turned only to watch him abruptly disappear. Confused, she turned to Kurama but he was nowhere in sight.

"Where did they disappear to?" Sango asked softly as she approached the miko. "Dear Kami... You stink Kagome..."

The miko grudgingly stomped toward the last of the jewel and dropped it into the small jar on her necklace. She watched in fascination as it fused into the nearly complete Shikon, missing only two shards. Quickly making her way to Kouga, she thanked the wolf when he handed her the jewel with no complaints. Turning to Kohaku, who seemed to be keeping his distance, she smiled softly.

"Keep yours for now Kohaku. I'm going to figure out how to keep you alive without the shard but until then the jewel can wait."

Sango held back her tears as she whispered her thanks to the miko. "Where did your mate and brother go? I would like to properly thank them for assisting in the battle."

The miko frowned. "I'm not sure... But I'm going to check to make sure they are alright. I'll be back."

A/N:

I'm sorry it took so long to update! My muse suddenly went on this crazy desire to write a Youko/Kagome fic and the plot was clouding my mind so I had no choice but to start a new fic to get it out of my head! On the bright side... once this story is finished you all can look forward to a new Youko/Kagome! It will be called Destiny so keep an eye out for it ㈴1 Anywho, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, next chapter is already in the works so hopefully it wont take as long to post it lol. R&R please ㈳5

~ _Icyfire~_

Next Chapter - Chapter 22: Consequences


	22. Consequences

Light within the Darkness

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho... though a girl can dream can't she?

Chapter Twenty Two: Consequences

Kagome raced to Genkai's temple, her worry quickly building. After Kurama and Yusuke disappeared, she quickly told her friends she would be back after she made sure the boys were alright. Upon arriving to her time, she was confused to find herself dropped in the middle of the city down a secluded back alley. She'd searched the entire surrounding area but found no trace of Kurama or Yusuke. Giving up on searching in the area she'd arrived, she hurried home thinking the avatar may be there waiting for her. The house was empty, even Kokoda wasn't there. She began to panic as she made her way to Yusuke's house only to find the building empty as well. Her next stop was Genkai's and she wasn't sure what she would do next if she found the temple barren. Finally clearing the steps, she let out a sigh of relief when she spotted Yukina sweeping the yard.

"Kagome! You're covered in blood!" the koorime gasped, hurrying to her side with worry etched all over her face. "What happened? Where are you hurt? What is that smell?"

The miko shook her head as she tried to catch her breath. "I'm fine… final battle…almost got eaten by one of Kurama's plants... my injuries are slowly healing but none are life threatening. Have you seen Yusuke and Kurama?" she quickly asked, her eyes scanning the property.

The ice maiden shook her head. "Not today, what's going on?"

"I can't find them. You know the fight I've been training with Hiei to prepare for? It happened this morning… and somehow Kurama and Yusuke got there and helped us win. But the moment the coast was clear, they suddenly disappeared."

"Those idiots." Kagome and Yukina glanced toward where they heard Genkai groan in irritation. "They went to the feudal era?"

The miko nodded. "I don't know how though, do you know where they are?"

A grim expression pulled at her wrinkled face. "I have an idea…"

Before Kagome could drag the information out of the old woman, Botan 'popped' in on her oar. "Kagome! It's terrible!"

"Botan! What's going on? Where are Kurama and Yusuke?!"

"King Enma had them transported to Reiki. I hurried here as fast as I could after I found out from Koenma what's going on. King Enma is arresting them!"

"For what?!" she snapped, anger quickly replacing her earlier concern.

"I don't know the details but something about them jeopardizing the time line." She explained, trying to recall what Koenma had muttered to her before ordering her to find Kagome as quickly as possible. "Koenma told me to find you, he said you might be able to stop this."

"Take me there right now." The miko demanded, her blood boiling. How dare King Enma try to convict her brother and boyfriend of a crime when they just helped save the future. Botan quickly opened a portal and ushered her through. Upon arriving to the spirit realm, Kagome focused her gaze on Koenma who was pacing back and forth across his desk. "What the hell is going on Koenma?" she snarled.

"My father arrested Kurama and Yusuke for going against orders. Time traveling is forbidden because of the risks and effects it can have on the present time line. There was nothing I could do to keep my father from finding out, he was alerted the moment they left this time. He is sentencing them to three hundred years in Reiki prison." He explained, his voice gradually becoming softer as he watched the rage build in the miko's narrowed eyes. He had not seen Kagome that angry… ever. And considering how distance and cold she was when he first met her, that was saying quite a bit.

Kagome spread her aura through the building in search of the boys' auras. Easily finding them along with another massive aura she assumed was the king, she stormed toward the door.

"Kagome where are you going?!" Koenma screeched, panic flooding through him, maybe bringing Kagome here wasn't the greatest idea…. She looked ready to confront his father directly. He had merely hoped she had a plan to convince his father not to sentence his detectives.

"I'm going to talk to the king." She snapped, her attention focused on the three auras that seemed to be in the same room.

"You can't do that! My father is not someone you want to start a fight with!" he quickly followed the miko, trying to stop her but in his toddler form he could barley keep up. "Please Kagome! He'll lock you up too!"

"I'd like to see him try." She growled, leaving the prince in her dust as she quickened her pace toward what she now assumed was the king's private office, if the guards stationed at the door were any indication. Directing a glare to the two guards, she crossed her arms over her chest as she came to a stop in front of them. "I need to see King Enma."

"Sorry miss but the King is not seeing anyone at this time." The guard on the left stated, mimicking her stance and crossing his arms over his chest as well.

"I don't care, you will allow me to pass." she snarled, her purification rising to the surface of her skin in warning.

"We cannot allow you to pass Miko, you will need to make an appointment to see the King." the guard to the right piped up, glaring down at her.

Her patience wearing thin, she proceeded forward without another word. Both guards made to stop her but her powers burst to life, throwing them several feet down the hall behind her. Kicking the door open, she stormed inside and felt her rage blow through the roof when her gaze landed on Kurama and Yusuke in chains similar to those that Naraku had placed on her.

"Kagome!"

Ignoring their shocked expressions, she turned her deadly gaze to the oversized man standing across from the two demons she sought to rescue. "How dare you take them prisoner and convict them of crimes when they just assisted with saving this era!" she snapped.

"Miko, you are out of line. You have no right to enter my office without first being summoned. Leave and return when I call upon you." the King demanded, not even bothering to glance in her direction.

Her fury only building, she sensed the two guards she'd dismissed earlier approaching her from behind. Throwing up a barrier, she shoved them back out the door and kept the shield intact to prevent any others from entering. "You will release Yusuke and Kurama. Now." she spoke up, her gaze still on the King.

"These two have been sentenced to three hundred years in the Reiki prison for disobeying orders, breaking the law of time travel, and risking the time line as we know it. Time traveling is strictly prohibited." he snapped, now turning his fierce gaze to the little miko. "They are lucky I did not sentence them to death for this treason."

Yusuke and Kurama could see the pure rage burning in her ocean blue eyes, they'd never seen her this angry before and quickly began to worry. They watched in horror as she stormed toward the King's desk and shoved her arm into the air. Squinting to see what she held in her grasp, they panicked when they realized it was the Shikon Jewel.

"Kagome, don't!"

"Just drop it Kags!"

"I will never let him arrest you two for something like this! You hear me Enma?! I've been time traveling for over three years! Why am I not being arrested for time traveling if it is such a forbidden act?! And do not give me an excuse of the Shikon journey being a part of my destiny because if that is the case then these two were also destined to come to my rescue. Reiki exists to keep balance and peace between the three realms but all I see is a spoiled King that thinks he can do whatever he pleases! They came to my aid to save our era! If they hadn't come and helped us defeat Naraku, he would have won the jewel and this time would be changed anyway!" she yelled angrily, "If you do not release them and clear their records of whatever 'crimes' you pinned on them, I will wish on the jewel that I had died in the battle and Naraku won. If Naraku has the jewel, Reiki will never come to exist and demons will forever rule the world." she threatened as she pushed her energy into the jewel to show the King just how serious she was.

"You would give your own life and doom the entire world to Naraku's wrath just to save two criminals?" he mused, watching her closely.

"Without a second thought or regret. They are everything to me so if you take them away, I have nothing else to lose." she stated, her stance firm.

The King remained silent as he continued to watch her, the little miko's chest heaving from her pure anger over the situation. After several moments of silence, he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in his chair. "Alright miko. I will clear their records under one condition; you take their time upon yourself and work as a member of my son's team."

"Deal." she answered without hesitation.

The chains suddenly felt to the ground and she tore her gaze from the King. Rushing toward them, she threw her arms around them both. Pulling away, she gestured toward the door, "Let's get out of here before he changes his mind." she muttered before quickly leading the way back to Koenma's office. Upon entering, the demigod and his ferry worker bombarded them with questions of what happened.

"He allowed us to be released of our crimes if Kagome agreed to take our sentence upon herself." Kurama muttered, not completely happy with the outcome of the situation.

"So Kagome is to be imprisoned for three hundred years..." Botan felt tears well up in her eyes.

"No, I am to work as a spirit detective for three hundred years." she elaborated.

Koenma sighed in relief. "How did you possibly convince my father to agree to those terms?"

"She threatened to basically destroy all three realms." Yusuke chuckled as he pulled the still raging miko into his arms. "That was hot as hell babe but please don't do that again. You know Enma could have killed you in the blink of an eye right? And what about your friends in the past? They would have been screwed if you made that wish."

"He wouldn't have dared take Kagome's life, she is the guardian of the Shikon and the only one that can keep it pure. Without her, the jewel will be corrupt once more and draw on the darkness of others. We don't need a repeat of Naraku in this time and he knows that." Koenma explained. "Seems he didn't have much of a choice in the matter."

The miko lifted the jewel once more for them to see, "And I couldn't have made such a wish, the jewel is still missing one shard."

Yusuke chuckled. "You lied straight through your teeth. Hell even we believed you."

"Can we go home please? I'm still fuming... I feel like going back in there and roasting him for daring to say he could have sentenced them to death instead. How dare he make it seem like he was going easy on them." she growled.

Koenma requested Botan open them a portal back to Yusuke's home. Once there, Kagome forced her anger to slowly disipate. Shoving the jewel back under the neck line of her shirt, she took a deep breath. Yusuke's arm snaked around her waist and she turned her attention up to him, feeling the last of her anger slip away. "Let's go take a shower, we're still covered in blood... and you in plant drool..." Yusuke murmured, a teasing smile on his face.

A blush burned her cheeks as she stared up at him with wide eyes. "To... Together? Like at the same time?"

He chuckled at her reaction. "Unless you want to shower alone."

She glanced toward her step brother and he smiled reassuringly. "I'll be fine, I will shower after you two."

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she nodded slightly and allowed Yusuke to lead her to the bathroom. He turned on the water before briefly stepping out to retrieve clothes for them to wear. Closing the door behind him, he removed his shirt before his gaze fell to the fidgeting miko. "I'll behave myself babe, I promise we will just shower." he smiled reassuringly as he took her face into his hand gently and kissed her softly. She returned his smile and nodded before slowly removing her clothes as well. Just as he'd promised, the detective behaved himself. He tenderly washed the blood and grime from her skin, careful to avoid the deeper wounds that were still slowly healing. Once they were both clean and all signs of the battle they'd just fought were gone, the miko wrapped her arms around Yusuke and rested her head against his chest as they enjoyed the warm water beating down on them.

"I was so scared I'd lose you..." she murmured.

His arms tightened around her as he kissed the top of her now clean hair. "I can't even explain the fear I felt when we found out Naraku had captured you... and when he wrote in your journal with your blood..." a growl rumbled in his chest.

She snuggled closer to him in an attempt to calm the rage she sensed rising within him. "It's over now, Naraku is dead. He didn't have the chance to truly harm me. You arrived quickly enough. When Botan told me you two were detained and being charged with crimes that would sentence you to prison time, I feared I'd never see either of you again. But I couldn't allow that to happen... not after we just completed the mission that has been chaining me down for so long."

"Let's think about this later, for now it's over. We should let Kurama take a shower and I think you should go back to let your friends know everything is alright. Let's wrap this up so we can finally relax." he murmured as he took her chin in his hand and turned her face up so he could steal a quick kiss. She smiled up at him and nodded before turning off the water and stepping out of the shower. Grabbing her towel, she wrapped it around her body. Grabbing the second towel, she turned to hand it to her boyfriend but stopped at the look he was pinning her with. A blush powdered her cheeks at the smirk on his face. "Babe. You're so sexy." he growled as he took the towel she offered. Wrapping the towel around his waist, he pulled her back into his arms and kissed her more passionately.

By the time he pulled away, she was breathless and the steam filled bathroom was flooded with the scent of her arousal. "Yusuke... I'm sure Kurama doesn't want to smell this while he's taking a shower." she scolded.

He rolled his eyes. "Fine. But you're not talking your way out of this next time." The desire she saw in his eyes caused her stomach to do sumersalts.

She quickly got dressed into the pair of boxers and tshirt he'd brought for her to wear before exiting the bathroom. If she didn't put some distance between them, she was going to jump the detective. Entering the living room, she smiled toward her step brother. "Your turn. I'm going back to tell Sango and the others that everything is ok. I should be back before you're finished cleaning up."

"Alright, be careful." he returned her smile before disappearing down the hall.

Yusuke joined her in the living room as she was pondering her current state of dress. She was sure her friends of the past would wonder about the clothing she was wearing but she honestly didn't care at the moment. She just wanted them to know everything was alright and that she would come back in a few days to make sure everything was wrapped up on that end of the timeline and discuss what they were going to do about Kohaku. Glancing toward Yusuke as he plopped down on the couch, she made her way toward him and kissed his cheek. "I'll be right back."

When Kagome returned to the past, she found herself back at the campgrounds they'd set up in preparation for the battle. A slight sigh escaped her at the mere thought of all the traps and efforts they'd put into the surrounding area. Weeks of preparations gone to waste because she hadn't paid better attention and allowed herself to be kidnapped. If Yusuke and Kurama hadn't come to their aid... she was certain they wouldn't have been able to defeat Naraku on his own terf. Pushing those thoughts from her mind, she treked toward where she could heard her friends packing things up. Upon entering the clearing, Sango dropped everything she was doing and rushed over to her.

"Kagome! Is everything alright with your mate and brother?" she quickly asked as the others also gathered around them.

"Yes, Reiki tried to arrest them for illegal time travel and going against orders but I was able to bargain their release." she explained with a smile.

"What was the bargin?" Miroku questioned curiously.

"That I join the Spirit Detectives, which is the team they are both on that keeps the human realm safe. Oh and that I don't wish on the jewel that Naraku had won the battle and destroy the future as we all know it." she grinned innocently.

They laughed humorlessly. "Well that's one way to do it I guess..." Sango muttered. "He must not have noticed the jewel is not yet fully intact."

"Apparently not. And I wouldn't actually have wished on the jewel. But King Enma doesn't know that. I was quite convincing."

"Yea yea wench, glad you were able to save your lover boy and the weasel. What the hell are you wearing?" the hanyou questioned, looking at her clothing in complete confusion. "Your time has such odd clothing."

She rolled her eyes at him "It's Yusuke's clothes, I didn't have anything else to wear and my other clothes were covered in blood."

"You're wearing his clothes hmmmm?" Miroku grinned suggestively.

Sango smacked the back of his head before smiling toward the miko. "I like him Kagome, he is perfect for you."

The miko smiled brightly. "Thank you Sango, he makes me very happy. So what are you guys doing?"

"We're packing up and heading back to the village." Inuyasha piped up.

"Kaede's village?" she asked quietly.

"Yes, we are going to rebuild the village." Miroku smiled softly.

"And we are going to welcome anyone and everyone that is in search of a place to call home. Demons, hanyous, humans... the newly built village will not discriminate against blood or species." Sango elaborated.

Tears welled up in her eyes as Inuyasha smirked and nodded in agreement. "You guys..."

"We've been thinking about it for some time Kagome, and the idea was actually inspired by you and your kind heart. We know that you will not be able to continue to visit us here for much longer now that your mission with the jewel is almost complete... so we want to build something that will continue to remind us of you." Sango said, tears brimming her eyes as well as she pulled the miko into a tight hug.

"I'm not leaving for good yet. As long as I'm allowed, I will continue to come back and visit you guys. And we still need to figure out how to help Kohaku."

"You better wench, I'm not going to deal with the little runt crying over never seeing you again." Inuyasha complained as he returned to cleaning up the campsite.

She rolled her eyes at the hanyou. "I'm so glad you care about Shippo's feelings Inuyasha. Anyway, I just wanted to come and let you guys know that everything is alright. I'll come back in a few days to help with the rebuilding of the village."

"We will have a celebration when you return, for our victory." Miroku smiled, "No need to rush back, enjoy your time with your mate to be." he winked.

Holding back her blush at his comment, she hugged the monk and slayer before making her way to Inuyasha and hugging him as well. "I will see you guys in a few days. Travel safe, Koenma will be watching the history book still to make sure you arrive safely. I'll know if something goes array. I'll also speak with him about what can be done for Kohaku." she smiled before activating her necklace and disappearing from sight.

The miko wasn't surprised to see Yusuke playing video games when she returned. She could still hear the shower running and knew she'd returned before Kurama had finished cleaning up just as she assumed. Settling herself on the couch beside the detective, she snuggle up against his side. He moved his arm around her and repositioned himself so he could play and hold her at the same time. "How did it go?"

"They're packing up camp and heading back to the village."

"Wait... the village of your friend that was burned down?" he asked curiously, hoping it didn't cause her pain that he was bringing it up.

She nodded. "They are going to rebuild it."

"Well that's good. You going to go back and help them?"

"In a few days yes. But for now, I just want to enjoy some time with you and Kurama." she stated as a yawn escaped her.

Yusuke glanced at the time and realized it was quiet late. It'd been a long day, he didn't blame the little miko for being exhausted. "When Kurama gets out, how about I walk you both home?" he suggested.

"Only if you spend the night." Glancing down at the woman, he rolled his eyes at the pout on her face.

"Are your parents going to be alright with that?"

"They already know you two are dating, but I don't think my mother would approve you sleeping in her room. We'll just have to sneak you through her window." Kurama said as he entered the room, still towel drying his long crimson hair.

She nodded. "Guess we're sneaking you in then."

Yusuke sighed but agreed. "We should get our own place." he muttered as he turned off the game and prepared to leave. Sensing their gazes on him, he turned to see both the avatar and miko staring at him with surprised eyes. "I mean in the future, you know, after we're mates and stuff." he hurried to elaborate.

Kagome giggled at him as he scrambled for words. "We know what you mean Yusuke."

He scowled at her teasing as he ushered the siblings out the door. "Let's go, I'm exhausted from saving the world... again."

A/N:

Sorry its short... Im terrible at endings lol almost as bad as I am at writing fighting scenes but I hope everyone enjoyed! This was definitely a fun one to write, makes me wish there were more Yusuke/Kagome pairing fics cause I loved writing this pairing. Anywho keep an eye out for my next fic Destiny :) it'll be a Youko/Kagome/Kurama pairing... who doesnt love that pairing lol. Love you all and thank you so much for all of your support! Til next time ;)


End file.
